Reunion
by wlfgang213
Summary: My take on Rose's return during the episode The Eleventh Hour. A whole series 5-7 rewrite. ::ON HIATUS:: I'm stuck on this story right now.
1. 05 01 - Reunion

Chapter 01

The Doctor climbed quickly out of the Tardis. It had crashed, and he didn't know where he was. He was still cooking for the new regeneration, his new muscles aching, his new long hair in his eyes, and for the first time he had a food craving. He finally made it to the Tardis doors and climbed out to sit on the door frame.

"Could I have an apple? All I can think about. Apples. I love- Rose?"

"Hello Doctor."

Standing not far from the crashed Tardis was a small red-headed girl, and none other then Rose Tyler, the Valiant child, The Bad Wolf. She was wearing slim jeans, a blue top, and her Tardis blue bomber jacket.

"What are you doing here, you impossible girl? You should be in the other dimension with-" Handy. "my meta-crisis."

"You just can't get rid of me." She shot him her signature grin with her tongue between her teeth.

"Are you a police man?" The little girl asked.

"Why? Did you call a police man?"

"Are you here about the crack in my wall?"

"What crack? Argh!" The doctor pitched forward, falling off the edge of the Tardis landing roughly on the ground.

"Doctor!" Rose ran forward, grabbing his arm and helping him return to his feet.

"Are you alright, mister?" The small girl asked.

"No, I'm fine." The doctor replied. "It's okay, this is all perfectly norm-" He stopped mid-sentence to exhale heavily, a thick puff of golden energy escaping his mouth.

"I've seen this before." Rose noted. "We won't have to deal the pilot fish again, will we?"

"I sure hope not." The Doctor said. "At least it's not regeneration sickness again."

"Who are you?" The little Scottish girl asked.

"I don't know yet, I'm still cooking."

"Still not ginger." Rose commented.

The Doctor grinned at her before continuing. "Does it scare you?"

"No, it just looks a bit weird."

"No no no, the crack in your wall. Does it scare you?"

"Yes."

"Well then, No time to lose. I'm The Doctor. Do everything I tell you, don't ask stupid questions, and don't wander off."

"Still not ginger, and still rude." Rose muttered to herself. She turned to the small girl. "And I'm Rose."

The Doctor turned and walked face first into a tree, colliding with it before collapsing onto the ground. Rose had to cover her mouth to hold in the snicker, before she grabbed his arm to help him stand again.

"Are you alright?" The little ginger girl asked.

"Early days. Steering's a bit off." The doctor explained.

The three of them headed into the house to the kitchen where the little girl handed The Doctor an apple.

"If you're a doctor, why does your box say police?"

The Doctor bit into the apple, then spat it out. "That's disgusting, what is that?"

The little girl frowned. "An apple."

"Apple's rubbish. I hate apples."

"You said you loved them."

"No no no, I like yoghurt. Yoghurt's my favourite. Give me yoghurt."

Rose couldn't help but role her eyes at The Doctor's antics.

The small girl handed him a pot of yoghurt, which he opened and poured into his mouth before spitting it right back out again. "I hate yoghurt. It's the stuff with bits in it."

"You said it was your favourite."

"New mouth, new rules. It's like eating after cleaning your teeth. Everything tastes wrong. Argh!" The doctor cried out as he twitched violently.

"What's wrong with you?" The little girl asked.

"Wrong with me? It's not my fault. Why can't you give me any decent food? Your Scottish, fry something.

The girl opened a cabinet to get out a frying pan, before being stopped by Rose's hand on her shoulder. "Doctor, you're being really rude. You're not making her cook for you."

The Doctor stared at her for a moment, before capitulating. "You're right. I know what I need. I need, I need-" He opened the freezer and the refrigerator. "I need fish fingers and custard."

Moments later he was sitting at the table with Rose and the small ginger girl, happily dipping his food and eating, making the girl grin.

"Funny."

"Am I? Good. Funny's good. What's your name?"

"Amelia Pond."

"I like that." Rose said.

"Oh, that's a brilliant name, Amelia Pond. Like a name in a fairy tale. Are we in Scotland, Amelia?"

"No, we had to move to England. It's Rubbish."

"So what about your mum and dad, then?" The Doctor asked. "Are they upstairs? Thought we'd have woken them by now."

"I don't have a mum and dad." She replied.

"Neither do I." Rose said. The Doctor's head snapped up, looking at the mystery that was Rose Tyler.

Amelia smiled at her. "I just have an aunt."

The Doctor pushed aside the his concerns about Rose for the moment, and focused on Amelia. "I don't even have an aunt."

"You're lucky." Amelia said.

"I know. So your aunt, where is she?"

"She's out."

"And she left you here all alone?" Rose asked, aghast.

"I'm not scared." Amelia replied, proudly.

"Course you're not. You're not scared of anything. Box falls out of the sky, man falls out of the box, man eats fish custard, and look at you, just sitting there. So you know what I think?"

"What?" Amelia asked.

"Must be a hell of a scary crack in your wall." He stood from the table, and offered his hand to Rose, who grinned and took it with her own. Even in this new regeneration their hands still fit together perfectly.

Amelia led them up the stairs to her bedroom. On the wall was a crack about three feet long, and jagged.

"You've had some cowboys in here." The doctor said. "Not literal cowboys, though that can happen."

"I used to hate apples, so my mum put faces on them." Amelia muttered, holding up an apple with a face cut into it. She held it out to The Doctor.

"She sounds lovely." Rose said.

"I'll keep this for later." He said, as he pocketed the apple. He then moved forward to the wall. "This wall is solid, and the crack doesn't go all the way through it. So here's the thing. Where's the draft coming from?"

"A crack in the universe?" Rose guessed.

The doctor looked at her surprised, before grinning. "Very good. It's a split in the skin of the world. Two parts of space and time that should never have touched." He looked at Amelia. "Sometimes, can you hear?"

"A voice. Yes.

The Doctor grabbed her night time glass of water and dumped it out on the rug, before pressing it to the crack, and listening through it.

"You just love making a mess." Rose muttered.

"Prisoner Zero?"

"Prisoner Zero has escaped. That's what I heard. What does it mean?"

"It means on the the other side of this wall, there's a prison and they've lost a prisoner."

"Lost him through here?" Rose asked.

"Probably." The doctor replied, before looking at Amelia. "You know what that means?"

"What?"

"You need a better wall. The only way to close the breach is to open it all the way. The forces will invert, and it will snap itself shut. Or..."

"What?" Amelia wondered.

"You know when grown-ups tell you everything is going to be fine, and you think they're probably lying to make you feel better?"

"Yes."

"Everything is going to be fine."

"Doctor..." Rose said, sounding worried.

"Don't worry, I just got you back. I'm not abut to loose you again." The Doctor takes Roses hand, and she in turn takes Amelia's small hand in her own. He aims his sonic screwdriver at the crack causing it to widen significantly.

A voice echoed from within the crack "Prisoner Zero has escaped. Prisoner Zero has escaped."

"'Ello?" Rose called.

With a loud woosh sound, a giant blue eyeball descends to the crack, and stares at them.

"What's that?" Amelia asked.

A bright pulse of light fired from the eye to The Doctor's hip, causing him to jerk back. Suddenly, the crack snaped shut, disappearing in a flash of light.

"There, you see? Told you it would close. Good as new."

"What's that thing?" Amelia asked, "Was that prisoner Zero?"

"No." Rose answered. "That was an atraxi."

The Doctor looked at her surprised again, before speaking. "I think that was prisoner Zero's Guard."

"Whatever it was, it sent me a message. Psychic paper. Takes a lovely little message." He pulled the paper from his pocket and looked at it. "Prisoner Zero has escaped. Yes, we already know that. I think you were right, Rose. Prisoner Zero escaped through here. But he couldn't have. We'd know.

Together, the trio moved out of the bed room, into the hall. "It's difficult, brand new me. Nothing works yet."

"What are we looking for?" Rose asked.

"There's something I'm missing," He told her. "Something in the corner of my eye."

He just begins to turn around, when the Tardis's cloister bells could be heard.

"No no no no no no no!" He ran, for the stairs, towing Rose behind him, as he hadn't let go of her hand. Amelia ran behind them. They ran out to the garden to the still smoking Tardis.

"I've got to get back in there. The engine's are phasing. It's going to burn.

"But it's just a box, how can a box have engines?"

"It's not a box, it's a time machine."

"What, a real one? You've got a real time machine?"

"Not for much longer if I can't get her stabilised. Five minute hop to the future should do it." He looked at Rose. "Don't supposed I can convince you to wait here?"

"No chance." She said.

"Can I come?" Amelia asked.

"Not safe in there. Not yet. Five minutes. Give us five minutes, We'll be right back."

"People always say that." Amelia groused.

"Are we people? De we even look like people? Trust us, we're The Doctor and Rose Tyler."

He jumped down into the Tardis, Rose climbing down the rope after him. "Geronimo!"

The Tardis doors closed, and it dematerialised. Inside the Tardis, The doctor clung to the console.

"First, fix the artificial gravity." He flipped a switch, and they were able to stand on the grating, again, without falling deeper into the Tardis. He started running around the console, flipping switches, and pulling levers.

"Um, Doctor, It looks like the Helmic Regulator is mis-dialled. We won't be back in five minutes. This looks more like... Twelve years."

The Doctor froze, and stared at Rose. "How do you know that?"

"The... Other doctor, taught me how to fly the Tardis." With that, she moved quickly, adjusting the regulator that controlled when they arrived, before she began pulling levers and pushing buttons herself, flying the Tardis like an expert. "He build a mock console and taught me how to fly and repair her."

"But... That's not something you can learn in just a few years. How long were you in Pete's world?"

Rose froze for a moment, then looked down at her feet. "Seventy three years."

"But... you don't look older then twenty one."

"Surprise."

"How? What?" He asked, mystified.

"Not now, Doctor, We don't have time. We need to go back for Amelia, and find Prisoner Zero. Then afterwards, I'll answer all your questions."

"He stared at her for a moment longer, then nodded. "Alright."

The Tardis materialised back in Amelia's yard, and the little girl leapt up. She was sitting on a suitcase waiting for their return. The Doctor ran down the ramp, and threw open the doors, then started shouting. "Amelia! I worked out what it was. I know what I was missing."

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"Come on." He grabbed Rose's hand, and she in turn grabbed Amelia's hand. They ran together into the house, and up the stairs.

"It's right here." He explained, running up the stairs to a door on the second level of the house. There's a perception filter around the door."

"How have I never noticed that door before?" Amelia asked.

"That's the perception filter, honey." Rose explained. "It kept you from noticing it."

"Wow."

"Indeed." The Doctor said. "Very wow. Now Rose, stay behind me, and protect Amelia."

With that, The Doctor moved forward and opened the door with the perception filter. He held his sonic screwdriver out like a weapon, aiming it around the room.

"I don't see anything." Amelia said.

"Prisoner Zero stopped you from seeing the whole room. What makes you think you can see it?"

Upon hearing a soft hissing sound, The Doctor spun around, aiming his screwdriver ahead of him. Directly ahead of him was a reptilian snake like creature hanging from the ceiling. It had wide eyes, and sharp razor teeth.

"Oh, you are beautiful... Prisoner Zero, I assume."

The creature snapped forward, cleanly biting the sonic screwdriver in half. "Um, Rose. I think it's time to..."

"Run?" She asked.

"Run." He confirmed. She quickly pulled Amelia out of the room, moving fast with The Doctor on their heels. The lunged down the stairs, then spun around, to see Prisoner Zero watching them from the doorway of the room.

A bright light suddenly flooded in through the windows scanning the interior. A voice echoed in from outside, "Attention Prisoner Zero, the human residence is surronded. Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated."

"Oh wonderful," Rose muttered. "The cavalry is here."

"I'll make this simple. Turn yourself over to them, Prisoner Zero."

The creature spoke in a deep hissing tongue. "The atraxi will kill me this time."

"Okay, you came to this world by opening a crack in space and time. Do it again. Just leave."

"I did not open the crack."

"Somebody did."

"The cracks in the skin of the universe, don't you know where they came from. You don't do you?"

The Doctor stared blankly trying to work out the creatures meaning.

"The universe is cracked. The Pandorica will open. Silence will fall."

"What do we do, Doctor?" Rose asked.

"If only I still had a working sonic screwdriver." He muttered.

"Here." Rose reached into her jacket and pulled out a black sonic screwdriver with a green tip. It was a little bit longer and thicker then the one that was currently making it's way through the creatures digestive track.

"Where'd you get that?" The Doctor asked.

"I made it."

"You are brilliant, Rose Tyler." He took the screwdriver from her. "Now, the Atraxi are scanning for non-terrestrial technology, and nothing says non-terrestrial like a sonic screwdriver." He depressed the button and it emitted a loud screeching warble. The lights in the house flickered before the bulbs started exploding. Suddenly a bright light filled the windows of the house, projected in from the Atraxi outside.

"Oh, And I think they just found us."

"Then I shall take a new form." The creature hissed. It began to glow, and suddenly where once was a snake there stood another of The Doctor.

"Doctor!" Cried Rose, as she caught the collapsing Amelia, Who passed out at the same moment.

"Oh. He's a multiform. Disguise itself as anything, but it needs a live feed. A psychic link with a living but dormant mind. She'll be fine, Rose. I promise." He turned to Prisoner Zero. "Well that's rubbish, who's that supposed to be?"

"That's you." Rose answered him.

"Why me, though? You linked with her, Why are you copying me?"

"I'm not." A small red-haired girl stepped out from behind the creatures impersonation of The Doctor, holding his hand. "Poor Amelia Pond, such a child, dreaming of the magic Doctor and Rose who will take her away."

"No, she's dreaming about me because she can hear me." The Doctor dropped to his knees, taking Amelia's face in his hands. "Amelia, don't just hear me, listen. Remember the room, the room in your house you couldn't see. Remember what we saw in there. Dream of what we saw.

"No!" The Amelia duplicate shouted as she began to glow. Suddenly the snake-like creature was back. "No!" it hissed.

"Well done, Prisoner Zero. A perfect impersonation of yourself. The lights shining in the house became brighter, and a voice echoed in from outside.

"Prisoner Zero is located. Prisoner Zero is restrained."

"Silence, Doctor." Prisoner Zero hissed. "Silence will fall." There was a sudden flash of bright light, and the snake creature was gone.

They stood for a moment, before Rose spoke. "Doctor, I think the Tardis is ready." She pulled out her key, still worn on a chain around her neck, which was glowing brightly. He spun, and ran out of the house to the Tardis.

"Okay, what have you got for us this time." He threw open the doors and the two stepped inside. "Look at you. Oh you sexy thing. Look at you."

He moved forward to the console, to begin the dematrialization sequence. "Um. Doctor." Spoke up Rose. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

He looked up to see Amelia standing in the doorway holding her small suitcase, and staring amazed at the console room.

"Oh yes, of course. Sorry, Amelia, I got ahead of myself. It's the excitement of a new console room."

Rose smiled at him lovingly (whether she realised it was that kind of smile or not) and took the suitcase from her. She set the case by the door before speaking. "This is our time machine space ship. T-A-R-D-I-S. That's Time And Relative Dimension In Space."

"Wow. So we can go to space?"

"Do you want to see?" The Doctor asked. Ten minutes later, they were standing in the open doors, looking down on the planet Earth.

"How are we breathing?" Amelia asked.

"I extended the air shell." The Doctor said. "We're fine."

Amelia didn't understand what he said, but nodded anyway, assuming he knew what he was talking about.

"So. All of time and space, everything that ever was or will be. Where do you want to go?"

"Um Doctor." Rose spoke up. "It was late when we crashed, she was in bed, and then we had to deal with Prisoner Zero. I think we should let her get some sleep."

"Right, of course." The Doctor said. "Show her to a room, would you, then meet me in the medical bay."

"Doctor-"

"Humour me."

Rose led Amelia through the hall to a room with a light blue door. She opened it to show Amelia that it was decorated for a child with a wall of stuffed animals, and art supplies. The bed was the perfect size for a child.

"It's perfect." Amelia said, amazed.

"The Tardis made this room just for you." Rose explained.

"How does that work?"

"The Tardis is alive." Rose told her. "It's a living ship."

Amelia was having trouble wrapping her mind around the idea that the ship was alive.

"Would you like me to tuck you in?"

Amelia nodded and jumped on the bed. "You should brush your teeth first. The en suite I through there."

Amelia grumbled and headed for the en suite. Three minutes later, she was back in bed, being tucked in by Rose. Rose kissed her on her forehead and the lights dimmed by themselves, leaving just a soft light remaining in the room. Amelia was soon asleep, and Rose was heading for the medical bay.


	2. 05 02 - Disney Moon

AN: Sorry it's so short, but i've had serius writers blook about this story, so I figured you'd want anything i've written, rather then waiting for a longer update.

Chapter 02 – Disney Moon

"Huon Particles. Huon particles are bonded to your DNA." The Doctor exclaimed.

"I know." Rose said. "I started getting sick as soon as you left. It took a while, but the meta-crisis doctor theorised that I was linked to the Tardis. I was sick because I was separated from the old girl. His theory is that I'll live as long as the Tardis is alive. He built a machine, using my Tardis key as a focus, it kept me from dying, being separated from the actual Tardis. Unfortunately, the machine was rather large, and I couldn't go very far from it without getting sick again. I was trapped in my parents mansion. "

"I'm sorry you went through all that. But, that means that you'll live as long as I do." The Doctor explained. "I'm psychically linked to the Tardis. It will exist as long as I'm alive."

"You no longer have to be alone. I promised you forever, and now I can deliver."

The Doctor's smile was blinding. He lunged forward, wrapping her in a hug, and kissed her forehead. He then pulled back, his arms still around her. "What about... Him? My clone. Did you two..."

"No." Rose answered. "There has only ever been you."

Before she could second guess herself, she pressed her hands to his hearts, leaned forward, and pressed her lips to his. Their kiss deepened and they were soon clawing at each other as they made their way to The Doctors bedroom.

The next morning, she awoke in his arms with her head on his chest, listening to his two hearts beat. She smiled, thinking for a moment that the night before were a dream, before she felt the pleasant soreness. It was real, she had spent the night with the Doctor.

"I love you." She said to the Doctor.

"As I love you." He said in return.

They kissed again, and stood to dress. It turned out that the Tardis had already moved her clothing and some of her collected photos to his room. Or maybe it as their room now.

After a large breakfast in the Tardis kitchen, They were back in the Console room. "So Amelia, where do you want to go?"

She had been thinking about this all through breakfast.

"Can we go to a theme park?"

"Oh, that sounds like lots of fun." Rose exclaimed.

"I know just the place." The Doctor said, as he and Rose started moving around the console in tandem. The Tardis rattled a bit, but the flight was smoother with two pilots then with one.

They landed with a thump, and quickly headed down the glass stairs to the door. As they stepped out, Amelia looked around all excited.

"The year three thousand twelve," The Doctor explained. "And this is the Disney moon. An entire moon dedicated to the various Disney movies. There's an entire continent of The Lion King. Because people never forget Disney. The movies go on for thousands of years."

They were stood in a large parking lot, lined with spaceships of all shapes and sizes. Amelia held Rose's hand as they walked to a teleport pad.

"This is a teleport." The Doctor said. "Not the nicest way to travel, but it'll get us to where we need to be."

They stood together on the pad, and in a bright flash they were at the main entryway into the Disney park. After getting past the slight queasiness caused by the teleport pad, they began to explore, riding rides, and watching shows spending what Amelia would swear was the best day of her life. The Doctor soniced a money mover to get credits and bought Amelia a stuffed lion, from one of the gift shops on the lion king continent, which she absolutely loved. That night, they stayed in a 'Pirates of the Caribbean' themed hotel that was situated on an actual ship that was docked in a harbour. Amelia was amazed at the feeling of the rocking ship, but was soon asleep, exhausted after the long day.

They spent three days on the Disney moon, the third day spent in a water park the size of a city. Finally, at the end of the third day, they returned to the Tardis. Amelia was exhausted from her day at the water park, and was about to go to bed when The Doctor stopped her.

"It's time for you to go home, Amelia."

"But-"

"I know." Rose said, "We'll miss you too, but if you stay with us too long, your aunt will notice you growing bigger over night. We're bringing you back to the same night we met you. Our lives are dangerous, Amelia. Too dangerous for a little girl."

"But Tell you what," The Doctor spoke up, "We'll come pick you up when you are a bit older, and can better handle the dangerous side of our lives."

"Okay." Amelia said, though she looked like she was about to cry. Rose hugged her tightly, then made sure she had a hold of her stuffed lion, and held her hand as she walked her out the Tardis door. They were stood in front of her house, and it was the same night they left. Rose walked Amelia inside to her bedroom. She stayed with the girl until she was asleep, before speaking again.

"Please don't forget us."


	3. 05 03 - The Beast Below Part 01

AN: This has not been BETAed so sorry if there are any mistakes. I proof read it myself, and hopefully caught everything.

Chapter 03

The Tardis landed with a mighty thump, and Rose picked herself up off the floor. After taking The Doctor's hand, they moved together for the door, which opened with it's signature creak. They were stood outside of Amelia's house, and it was late at night.

"I guess we're waking her up." Rose muttered softly. Before they could say anything more, the front door to the house opened, and out came an adult Amelia, in her nightgown, carrying a worn stuffed lion. The very lion they had bought her on the Disney moon.

"Amelia!" The Doctor called, moving toward her.

"Doctor? Rose?" Amelia asked sounding amazed.

"How are you, Amelia?" Rose asked.

"You're real." She said in wonder.

"What do you mean, we're real?" The Doctor wondered. "Of course we're real."

"It's been fourteen years." Amy commented.

"I know." The doctor said.

"Fourteen years."

"I know."

"Fourteen years, and four psychologists."

"Four?"

"I kept biting them." Amelia said.

"Why?" Rose asked.

"They said you weren't real."

"Well we are, as you can see." Rose commented.

Amelia looked at The Tardis. "And this is your time machine. It's really bigger inside?"

The Doctor snapped, and the door swung open. "See for yourself."

Amelia stepped into The Tardis, looking amazed. "It's just like I remember."

"Fourteen years since fish custard. Amelia Pond, the girl who waited, you've waited long enough. So, coming?"

"Coming where?" Amelia asked.

"Other planets," The Doctor said, "Want to check some out."

"No."

"You wanted to come fourteen years ago."

"I grew up."

"Oh," Rose said, "You never want to go and do that."

"Don't worry," The Doctor commented, "I'll soon fix that."

With a flourish, he shut the door, before taking Rose's hand, and leading her to the console. Together they started working the controls.

So, all of time and space, everything that ever happened or ever will. Where do you want to start?"

"You are so sure that I'm coming." Amelia said.

"Yeah, we are." Rose nodded.

"Why?"

"Cause you're the Scottish girl in the English village, and we know how that feels. All these years living here, most of your life, and you've still got that accent. Yeah, you're coming."

"Can you get me back for tomorrow morning?" Amelia asked.

"It's a time machine. We can get you back five minutes ago. Why, what's tomorrow?"

"Nothing. Nothing. Just you know, stuff.

"All right, then. Back in time for stuff."

Rose giggled softly at The Doctor's antics. "If you don't land her a year late, like you did me."

"One time!" The Doctor shouted. "That happened one time, and she never lets me live it down."

"So, this is a a spaceship, right?" Amelia asked. "Can we see space?"

The Doctor set the controls for a jump through time, and into deep space, while Rose worked the stability and flight controls. Moments later the time rotor stopped wheezing, and they we in position. The two pilots led Amelia to the door. The Doctor grabbed one, Rose grabbed the other, and together they pulled the doors open.

"Welcome to space." The Doctor declared.

"How are we breathing?"

"The Tardis is protecting us." Rose explained.

"I've extended the air shell, we're fine." The Doctor said.

The Doctor looked down, and then knelt in front of the open doors. Amelia knelt next to him, and Rose looked over his shoulder.

"Now that's interesting. Twenty ninth century. Solar flares roast the earth, and the entire human race packs its bags and moves out till the weather improves. Whole nations-" The Doctor said as he ran back to the console, pulling Rose with him.

"Doctor?" Amelia's voice echoed across The Tardis.

"Migrating to the stars." The Doctor continued.

"Rose?" Amelia shouted.

"Isn't that amazing?" The Doctor finished.

"Oh my god, Amelia." Rose cried, as she ran for the doors. Amelia was outside the Tardis, floating in the zero gravity, and clinging to the outside of The Tardis. Rose grabbed her hand and carefully pulled her inside.

Once she was on her feet again, The Doctor spoke.

"Well, come on. I've found us a spaceship." He pulled Amelia to the main deck by the console, where they could see the large monitor/window, Rose following along. On the screen was a space ship that looked a lot like a floating city.

"This is the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland. All of it, bolted together and floating in the sky. Starship UK. It's Britain, but metal. That's not just a ship, that's an idea. That's a whole country, living and laughing and shopping. Searching the stars for a new home."

"Can we go out and see?" Amelia asked.

"Course we can." The Doctor declared, "But first there's a thing."

"A thing?" Amelia wondered.

"An important thing. In fact, thing one. We are observers only. That's the one rule I've always stuck to in all my travels. I never get involved in the affairs of other peoples or planets."

"Since when?" Rose asked with a scoff.

The Doctor glared at Rose for a moment, before turning to the Tardis monitor. "Ooo, that's interesting."

On the monitor was a girl maybe twelve years old, sitting on a bench, racked with tears.

"So we're like a wildlife documentary, yeah?" Amy asked, focusing on the monitor. She didn't notice as The Doctor pulled Rose along with him out of the Tardis. They had landed on the spaceship and moved quickly to talk to the crying girl.

"You're crying." He said to her. Rose smacked his arm.

"Rude." The crying girl leapt up, and ran away. The Doctor turned and waved.

"Waving to Amelia?" Rose asked.

"Yup." He said, popping the 'p'. They turned and chased after the crying girl. The Doctor released Rose's hand as he approached the girl, bumping into her. He frowned, and turned to bump into her again, when Rose grabbed his arm.

"What are you doing?"

"I need to find out who she is, so I'm trying to pick her pocket."

"Allow me." Rose grinned, then walked past the crying girl, grabbing her shoulder with one hand as she did. "Oh, excuse me." She said, and walked past. She then approached The Doctor.

"Mandy Tanner." Rose informed him, as she slipped him the girls wallet.

"Where'd you learn to pick pockets?" The Doctor asked.

"The meta-crisis doctor. I was stuck in the mansion for seventy years. He taught me all kinds of things."

The Doctor grimaced at the reminder of what his actions caused.

"Smile, Doctor. I don't blame you. It's not your fault."

He sighed heavily, before plastering on a grin. "Let's go get Amelia."

The approached the Tardis just as the ginger was exiting. "I'm in the future. Like hundreds of years in the future." she paused as something occurred to her. "I've been dead for centuries."

"Oh, lovely. You're a cheery one." The Doctor grumbled.

"I was the same way when I started travelling with The Doctor. Don't mind him, Amelia." Rose commented.

"Never mind dead, look at this place. Isn't it wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Amelia asked.

"Look around you, Amelia." Rose said. "Notice everything. Use that wonderful mind of yours."

Amelia blushed under the praise, before looking around herself.

"Is it the bicycles?"Amelia asked. "Bit unusual on a spaceship, bicycles."

"Says the girl in her nightie."

Amelia looked down at herself, before gasping. "Oh my god, I'm in my nightie."

"Now, come on, look around you. Actually look."

"Come on, Amelia, you can do this." Rose said.

"Life on a giant starship." He explained. "Back to basics. Bicycles, washing lines, wind-up street lamps. But look closer. Secrets and shadows, lives led in fear. Society bent out of shape, on the brink of collapse. A police state."

The Doctor turned to a table where a couple where eating. "Excuse me."

He took a glass of water off the table, and set it on the floor. He and Rose both crouched to stare at the water for a moment before returning it to the table.

"What are you doing?" The man at the table asked.

"Sorry." The Doctor said to the man. "Checking all the water in this area. There's an escaped fish." He then turned to Amelia. "Where was I?"

"Why did you just do that with the water?" Amelia asked.

"No movement." Rose pointed out. The Doctor pointed at her with a very proud grin on his face, before turning back to Amelia.

"Don't know. I think a lot. It's hard to keep track. Now, police state. Do you see it yet?"

"Where?" Amelia asked.

The Doctor snapped his fingers as he pointed at the crying girl, Mandy Tanner. "There."

The trio moved forward to the benches, sitting down as The Doctor explained.

"A little girl crying, so?"

The Doctor frowned. "Crying silently. I mean, children cry because they want attention, because they're hurt or afraid. But when they cry silently, it's because they just can't stop. Any parent knows that."

"Are you a parent?" Amelia asked.

He grimaced, looking to Rose, the only person, other then himself, who knew the answer to that question.

"Hundreds of people walk past that spot, but not one of them ask her what's wrong." Rose observed.

"Exactly." The Doctor said. "Which means they already know, and it's something they don't talk about. Secrets. They're not helping her, so it's something they're afraid of. Shadows, whatever they're afraid of, it's nowhere to be seen, which means it's everywhere. Police state."

"Where'd she go?" Amelia asked, noticing for the first time that the girl has vanished.

"Deck two-oh-seven. Apple Sesame block, dwelling 54A. You're looking for Mandy Tanner." The Doctor held up the girl's wallet. "This fell out of her pocket when Rose bumped into her." He grinned.

"Only took her one go."

"While you are at it," Rose said, "Ask her about those things, the smiling guys in the booths. They're all over the place."

"But they're just things." Amelia pointed out.

"They're never just things." Rose commented.

"They're clean." The Doctor noted. "Everything else here is all battered and filthy. Look at this place. But no one's laid a finger on those booths. Not a footprint within two feet of them. Look. Ask Mandy, why are people scared of the things in the booths?"

"No, hang on. What do I do? I don't know what I'm doing here and I'm not even dressed."

"You can do this, Amelia." Rose said. "We have faith in you."

"It's this or Leadworth. What do you think? Let's see. What will Amy Pond choose?" He saw determination on her face, and laughed. "Ha ha, gotcha. Meet us back here in half an hour."

"What are you going to do." Amelia asked.

"What we always do," The Doctor said. "Stay out of trouble."

Rose snorted, coughing to cover her laugh.

"Badly." The Doctor finished.

"So is this how it works, Doctor?" Amelia asked. "You never interfere in the affairs of other peoples or planets, unless there's children crying?"

"Yup." Rose answered, as they walked away.

The Doctor led the way to the engine room, having to climb down ladders to get there. After helping Rose down, he leaned against the wall, listening through it.

"Can't be."

"What?" Rose asked, before touching the wall herself. "That's not right."

As if they had rehearsed, the two time travellers pulled out their sonic screwdrivers and scanned the wall. The Doctor turned and noticed there was a glass of water sitting on the ground near them. He immediately dropped to the floor, lying down as he stared at the glass.

"Same as the last one?" Rose asked.

"Yes."

Suddenly, A hooded woman wearing a mask stepped out from around the corner. She looked at the two of them, and spoke.

"The impossible truth in a glass of water. Not many people see it. But you do, don't you, Doctor?"

"You know me?"

"Keep your voice down." The masked woman instructed. "They're everywhere. Tell me what you see in the glass."

"Who says I see anything?"

"Don't waste time. At the marketplace, you placed a glass of water on the floor, looked at it, then came straight here to the engine room. Why?"

"No engine vibrations?" Rose answered for him. "Ship this big, you'd feel engine vibrations."

"And look," The doctor said, opening one of the boxes on the wall. "It doesn't make sense. These power couplings, they're not connected. Look. Look, they're dummies, see? And behind this wall, nothing. It's hollow. If I didn't know better, I'd say there was-"

"No engine at all." He and the masked woman finished at the same time.

"But that's impossible." Rose said. "This ship is moving. We saw it."

"The impossible truth, Doctor. We're travelling among the stars in a spaceship that could never fly."

"How?" He asked.

"I don't know." The masked woman answered. "There's a darkness at the heart of this nation. It threatens every one of us. Help us, Doctor. You're our only hope." She handed over a small computer pad.

"Your friend is safe. This will take you to her. Now go, quickly!"

"Who are you? How do I find you again?"

"I'm Liz Ten, and I will find you." Liz Ten left, disappearing around the same corner she arrived, and The Doctor and Rose turned, following the tracker to find Amelia. The tracker led them deep into the city-ship.

"I wonder what she's doing down here?" Rose commented.

"I dunno." The Doctor replied. One way to find out." He soniced open the door and found Amelia standing before a computer system. When she saw The Doctor and Rose, she hurriedly pressed a button. Stopping some kind of recording of herself.

"Amelia, what have you done?"


	4. 05 04 - The Beast Below Part 02

AN: Special thanks to Luna Alli Rose and MirrorFlower and DarkWind for reviewing chapter three, and to everyone who reviewed the past chapters. You've inspired me to keep writing.

Chapter 04 – The Beast Below Part 02

The Doctor stood on the chair in the centre of the room, scanning the light fixture with his sonic screwdriver. "Yeah, your basic memory wipe job. Must have erased about twenty minutes."

"But why would I choose to forget?"

"Because everyone does. Everyone chooses the forget button." Spoke up Mandy Tanner, who was waiting outside, while Amelia watched the video.

"Did you?" The Doctor asked.

"I'm not eligible to vote yet." Mandy explained. "I'm twelve. Any time after you're sixteen, you're allowed to the see the film and make your choice. And then once every five years."

"And you're telling me once every five years, everyone chooses to forget what they've learned?" Rose asked.

"Democracy in action." The Doctor commented.

"How do you not know about this? Are you Scottish too?"

"Oh, I'm way worse then Scottish." The Doctor said. "I can't even see the movie. Won't play for me."

"It played for me." Amelia noted.

"The difference being the computer doesn't accept me as human."

"Why not? You look human?"

"No, we look time lord." Rose said. "They came first, according to him."

"So there are other Time Lords yeah?" Amelia asked.

"Don't, Amelia." Rose tried to stop her from touching on such a painful subject.

"What?" Amelia wondered.

"There were, but there aren't." The doctor answered, while looking at the floor. "Just me now. Long story. There was a bad day. Bad stuff happened. And you know what? I'd love to forget it all, every last bit of it, but I don't. Not ever.

Rose wound her hands around The Doctors waist, hugging him tightly for a moment, before pulling back.

"Alright, let me try." She sat in front of the computer, and it began to work.

"Welcome to voting cubicle three thirty C. Please leave this installation as you would wish to find it. The United Kingdom recognises the right to know of all its citizens. A presentation concerning the history of Starship UK will begin shortly. Your identity is being verified on our electoral roll. Name: Rose Marion Tyler. Age: Thirteen hundred and nine. Marital status: Unknown."

Then the video began to play. It was something that would stick with Rose for the rest of her extremely long life. By the end she was in tears. "Oh my god."

"I voted for this." Amelia asked. "Why would I do that?"

"Because you knew I'd be faced with an impossible choice. Humanity or the alien. You took it upon yourself to save me from that. And that was wrong. You don't ever decide what I need to know.

"I don't even remember doing it."

"You did it. That's what counts."

"Doctor," Rose interjected, "She was trying to protect you. It's something I'd do. So... Thank you, Amelia. Thank you."

The Doctor grumbled, but didn't say anything more about it. He took a deep breath then spoke. "Hold tight. We're bringing down the government." With that, he smashed down the 'protest' button. The smiler's head spun around showing a grimace, then the floor began to open.

"Say wee!"

Amelia screamed, Rose shook her head with exasperation, and they fell. It was a quick ride until they landed in what appeared to be a cavern with ankle high water, and food sludge everywhere.

"Argh! High speed air cannon. Lousy way to travel."

"Where are we?" Rose wondered.

"Six hundred feet down, twenty miles laterally, puts us at the heart of the ship. I'd say Lancashire."

"It looks like a cave." Rose commented.

"It's a rubbish dump, and it's minging!" Amelia declared.

"Yes, but only food refuse. Organic, coming through feeder tubes from all over the ship."

"The floor's all squidgy, like a water bed." Amelia pointed out.

"We're in the starwhale's mouth, aren't we?" Rose enquired.

"I think we are." The Doctor said. "The ground. It's a tongue. A great big tongue.

Amelia froze, near panic. "This is a mouth. This whole place is a mouth? We're in a mouth?"

"Yes, yes, yes. But on the plus side, roomy." The Doctor declared.

"We need to get out of here before he swallows." Rose decided.

"How big is this beastie?" The Doctor wondered. "It's gorgeous. Blimey, if this is just the mouth, I'd love to see the stomach. Though not right now."

"Doctor, how do we get out?" Amelia asked.

"Okay, it's being fed through surgically implanted feeder tubes, so the normal entrance is closed for business." The Doctor explained.

"We could try, though." Amelia said.

The starwhale groaned, and the tongue began to shift.

"Amelia, don't move!" Rose shouted.

"Too late," The Doctor realised, "It's started."

"What has?" Amelia asked.

"Swallow reflex."

The ground (tongue) beneath their feet began to shake and shift, knocking them all onto their backs. The Doctor pulled out his screwdriver, and pointed it towards the back of the throat. "If your screwdriver has the same settings, it's eighty-seven b."

With that instruction, Rose pulled out her screwdriver as well, adjusted the settings, and started shining it towards the back.

"What are you doing?" Amelia asked.

"We're vibrating the chemo-receptors."

"Chemo what?"

"The eject button." The Doctor said.

"How does a mouth have an eject button?" Amelia asked.

"Think about it."

The starwhale gave of a loud moaning sound, and a wall of liquid was heading right for them. The Doctor straightened his tie, took Rose's hand, and spoke quickly.

"Right, then. This isn't going to be big on dignity. Geronimo!"

The three time travellers were swept away by the vomit, and ended up in a steel pipe that connected to the mouth. The tossing caused Amelia to loose consciousness momentarily. The Doctor gave her a quick scan, while Rose began scanning the only exit. She was quickly joined by The Doctor.

"She's fine, will be awake any moment."

Right as he spoke, Amelia awoke, coughing and spitting up liquid.

"There's nothing broken, there's no sign of concussion and yes, you are covered in sick."

Amelia groaned, before standing up. "Where are we?"

"An overspill pipe." The Doctor said. "At a guess."

"God, it stinks."

"Yeah, That's not the pipe." Rose explained.

"Oh. Phew." She took a whiff of herself, and made a face. "Can we get out?"

"One door, one door switch, one condition. We forget everything we saw." He pointed to the forget button on the door. "Look familiar?"

And of course it's deadlock sealed, so the screwdrivers are no good." Rose added.

"That's the carrot. Ooo, here's the stick." As the doctor spoke, the hallway behind them light up, showing two of the smiling men in booths. "There's a starwhale kept in excruciating pain in the centre of this ship. I'm not just going to forget that."

The smilers spun around showing a frowning face. "No, that's not going to work on me, so come on. Big old beast below decks, and everyone who protests gets shoved down its throat. That how it works?"

The frowning faces spun again, this time showing grimacing faces with fangs. "Oh, stop it. I'm not leaving and I'm not forgetting, and what are you fellows going to do about it? Stick out your tongues, huh?"

The booths swung open, and the grimacing men stood up and moved toward them threateningly. The Doctor, Rose, and Amelia backed away but suddenly the door opened behind them, and in came Liz ten, gun in hand. She fired repeatedly, taking out both smilers.

"Look who it is" The Doctor said. "You look a lot better without your mask."

Liz smiled at the Doctor, before turning to the ginger. "You must be Amelia. Liz. Liz Ten."

"Hi."

They shook hands, and Liz Ten made a face. "Yuck. Lovely hair, Amelia. Shame about the sick."

She then turned to Rose. "And I didn't catch your name, earlier."

"Rose Tyler."

Liz Ten froze momentarily. "Ah of course. Rose Tyler, Companion to the Doctor." She pointed towards the girl with her. "You know Mandy, yeah? She's very brave"

"How did you find us?" The Doctor asked.

"Stuck my gizmo on you." Liz informed them. "Been listening in. Nice moves on the hurl escape. So, that starwhale, I can't believe someone is feeding my subjects to it."

"But you've known about it. You're over sixteen, you've voted."

"Your subjects?" Rose asked.

"No. Never forgot, never voted, not technically a British subject."

"Then who and what are you, and how do you know me?"

"You're a bit hard to miss, love." Liz Ten said. "Mysterious stranger, M O consistent with higher alien intelligence, hair of an idiot. I've been brought up on the stories. My whole family was."

"Your family?"

The downed smilers began to twitch and shake. "They're repairing. Doesn't take them long. Let's move."

Liz led them through the tunnels toward an elevator, still talking as they went.

"The Doctor. Old drinking buddy of Henry Twelve. Tea and scones with Liz Two. Vicky was a bit on the fence about you two, weren't she? Knighted and exiled you on the same day. And so much for the Virgin Queen, you bad, bad boy."

"What?" Rose asked heatedly.

"It's not how it sounds, I promise. I'll tell you all about her later." He turned to Liz. "So... Liz Ten."

"Liz Ten, yeah. Elizabeth the Tenth. And down!" She spun shooting the smilers that were standing up again, quickly dropping them once more.

"I'm the bloody Queen, mate. Basically, I rule."

As they moved through the hallway, Liz pointed out through the grating the tentacles that were smashing against the bars.

"Oh, and there's these things."

"Doctor, I saw one of these up top. There was a hole in the road, like it had burst through like a root." Amelia commented.

"Part of the starwhale, yeah?" Rose asked.

"Yup." He replied, sadly.

They all went to the state apartment, where Liz Ten lived, to get cleaned up from the sick they had all over themselves.

After getting cleaned up, The Doctor was holding Rose's hand, while looking around the apartment. The floor was littered with dozens of filled water glasses.

"What's with all the glasses?" The Doctor asked.

"To remind me every single day that my government is up to something, and it's been my duty to find out what." She sighed heavily. "Now that I know what, it's my duty to put a stop to it."

Rose grinned. "A queen going undercover to investigate her own kingdom?"

"Secrets are being kept from me. I don't have a choice. Ten years I've been at this. My entire reign. And you've achieved more in one afternoon."

"How old were you, when you came to the throne?" The Doctor asked.

"Fourty, why?" Liz questioned.

"What? You're fifty now?" Amelia wondered. "No way."

"Yeah, they slowed my body clock. Keeps me looking like the stamps."

"And you always wear this in public?" The Doctor asked, holding up her mask.

"Doctor," Rose said, "I know that face. What are you thinking?"

"I'm not quite there yet." He replied. "I'll let you know."

"Under-cover's not easy when you're me. The autographs, the bunting."

The doctor sat on the bed next to Liz Ten, still focused on the mask. "Air-balanced porcelain, stays on by itself, because it's perfectly sculpted to your face."

Rose gasped, having worked out what The Doctor was thinking.

"Yeah," Liz said, looking between The Doctor and Rose, "So what?"

"Oh Liz, so everything."

The doors to the apartment opened, and in entered a group of hooded men. They approached The Queen.

"What are you doing? How dare you come in here!"

"Ma'am, you have expressed interest in the interior workings of Starship UK. You will come with us now."

"Why would I do that?" Liz asked.

One by one, the men's heads spun around to show grimacing smilers. The Doctor's companions were in shock.

"How can they be smilers?" Amelia asked.

"Half smiler, half human." Rose answered before The Doctor could.

"Whatever you creatures are, I am still your queen. On whose authority is this done?"

"The highest authority, Ma'am." Said the head smiler.

"I am the highest authority!" Liz demanded.

"Yes Ma'am." The head smiler replied. "You must go now, Ma'am."

"Where?"

"The tower, Ma'am."

The smilers led The Doctor and his group to the tower of London. It was a long walk, The Doctor holding Roses hand the whole way. They finally arrived and there was a constant low level roaring coming from around the room.

"Doctor, where are we?" Amelia asked.

"The lowest point of starship UK, the dungeon." The Doctor answered, releasing Rose's hand to spin with dramatic flair as he spoke.

"Ma'am." greeted a grey-haired man wearing glasses, and a matching robe to that of the smilers.

"Hawthorne. So this is where you hid yourself away. I think you've got some explaining to do."

As she was talking, a group of children walked past, carrying equipment.

"There's children down here. What's all that about?" The Doctor wondered.

"Protesters and citizens of limited value are fed to the beast" Hawthorn explained. "For some reason, it won't eat the children. You're the first adults it's spared. You're very lucky."

"Yeah, look at us. Torture chamber of the Tower of London. Lucky, lucky, lucky." The Doctor went on one of his manic rants, that happen when he's truly infuriated, and trying not to snap. "Except it's not a torture chamber, is it? Well, except it is. Except it isn't. Depends on your angle."

Rose approached The Doctor taking his hand again, and rubbing his arm trying to calm him. Then she spoke. "This is where they torture that poor starwhale."

"Well it stops now." Liz demanded. She turned to Hawthorn. "Who did this?"

"We act on instructions from the highest authority." Hawthorn informed her.

"I am the highest authority. The creature will be released, now." No one moved to comply. "I said now! Is anyone listening to me?"

"Liz," The Doctor spoke up. "Your mask."

"What about my mask?"

The Doctor tossed the mask to Liz, who caught it easily. "Look at it."

"It's old." Rose said, with tears in her eyes, as she stared at the exposed pain centre of the starwhale.

"At least two hundred years old, I'd say." The Doctor added.

"Yeah? It's an antique. So?"

"Yeah, an antique made by craftsmen over two hundred years ago and perfectly sculpted to your face. They slowed your body clock, all right, but you're not fifty. Nearer three hundred. And it's been a long old reign." The Doctor explained.

Usually Rose loved this part, where The Doctor got all brilliant and worked out what was really going on, but she couldn't be happy when the poor creature was in never ending excruciating pain.

"Nah, it's ten years. I've been on this throne ten years."

"Ten years. And the same ten years, over and over again, always leading you here." He grabbed Liz's hand, dropping Rose's and leading her to a computer desk with a screen, and two buttons lit up labelled Forget, and Abdicate.

Liz looked at Hawthorn. "What have you done?"

"Only what you have ordered. We work for you, Ma'am. The Winders, the Smilers, all of us."

"And I'm putting an end to this." The Doctor said, as he began rewiring a console.

"What are you doing?" Amelia asked.

"The worst thing I'll ever do. I'm going to pass a massive electrical charge through the Star Whale's brain. Should knock out all its higher functions, leave it a vegetable. The ship will still fly, but the whale won't feel it."

"That'll be like killing it."

"Look, three options." The Doctor said. "One, I let the Star Whale continue in unendurable agony for hundreds more years. Two, I kill everyone on this ship. Three, I murder a beautiful, innocent creature as painlessly as I can. And then I find a new name, because I won't be the Doctor any more."

"There must be something we can do, some other way." Amelia demanded.

"Nobody talk to me. Nobody human has anything to say to me today!"

Rose moved over to Liz. "Order the smilers to pull him away from the console, and hold him."

"Why?" She asked.

"Just trust me." Rose answered.

Liz moved over to the group of smilers that had led them to the tower, and spoke quietly to them. They hurridly moved to where The Doctor was working, and grabbed him, pulling him away from the console. He started shouting, struggling to get free.

"I'm not going to let you do this." Rose said. "You'd never forgive yourself."

"What are you doing? Rose, what are you doing?"

"Saving you." She said, then she began to work on the console in his place.

"Rose, stop." Amelia cried. "Whatever you're doing, stop it now! Sorry, Your Majesty. Going to need a hand."

She grabbed the queens arm, and dragged her to the voting booth, slamming her hand down on the 'abdicate' button.

"Amy no!" The Doctor and Rose shouted in unison.

The ship shook hard as people above screamed. The starwhale roared then slowly the shaking stopped. During the shaking, The Doctor managed to free himself from the smilers hold. He ran over to where Rose stood next to the Queen and Amelia.

"Amelia, what have you done?" He demanded.

"Nothing at all. Am I right?" Amelia replied.

"We've increased speed." Hawthorn said, amazed.

"Yeah, well, you've stopped torturing the pilot. Got to help."

"It's still here," Liz observed, "I don't understand."

"The Star Whale didn't come like a miracle all those years ago." Amelia explained. "It volunteered. You didn't have to trap it or torture it. That was all just you. It came because it couldn't stand to watch your children cry. What if you were really old, and really kind and alone? Your whole race dead. No future. What couldn't you do then? If you were that old, and that kind, and the very last of your kind, you couldn't just stand there and watch children cry."

Soon after the excitement, the three time travellers retreated to an observation deck where they could watch space pass them by. Amelia approached Rose and the Doctor holding up a white mask.

"From Her Majesty. She says there will be no more secrets on Starship UK."

"That was dangerous, Amelia. You had no idea what could have happened." Rose said.

"You could have killed everyone on this ship." The Doctor added.

"You could have killed a starwhale." Amelia rebutted.

"And you saved it, I know, I know."

"Amazing though, don't you think? The Star Whale. All that pain and misery and loneliness, and it just made it kind."

"But you couldn't have known how it would react."

"Yes she could have." Rose agreed.

"You couldn't." Amelia said to The Doctor, "But I've seen it before. Very old and very kind, and the very, very last. Sound a bit familiar?"

The Doctor pulled Amelia into a hug, then Rose followed up, hugging Amelia. "Good job." Rose whispered into Amelia's ear.

After the hugs, they headed for the Tardis.

"Shouldn't we say goodbye? Won't they wonder where we went?"

"For the rest of their lives. Oh, the songs they'll write. Never mind them. Big day tomorrow." The Doctor said.

"Sorry, what?" Amelia asked.

"Well, it's always a big day tomorrow. We've got a time machine. I skip the little ones."

"You know what I said about getting back for tomorrow morning? Have you ever run away from something because you were scared, or not ready, or just, just because you could?"

"Once, a long time ago."

"What happened?"

"He stole a time machine." Rose interjected.

The Doctor grinned at her, as he unlocked and opened the door to the Tardis.

"Right. Doctor, there's something I haven't told you. No, hang on. Is that a phone ringing?"

"Sounds like it." Rose said.

"People phone you?"

"It is a phone box." Rose pointed out.

"Would you mind?" The Doctor asked, pointing to the phone, before pulling a lever on the Tardis console, and closely inspecting a dial.

Amelia picked up the phone, holding it to her ear. "Hello? Sorry, who? No, seriously, who?" She pressed the phone to her collarbone, before speaking to The Doctor.

"Says he's the Prime Minister. First the Queen, now the Prime Minister. Get about, don't you?"

"Which Prime Minister?" The Doctor asked.

"Which Prime Minister?" She asked into the phone, before talking to The Doctor again. "The British one."

"Which British one?" Rose asked.

"Which British one?" She listened for a moment before answering Rose's question. "Winston Churchill for you."

The Doctor took the phone from Amelia, and talked into it. "Oh hello, dear, what's up?"

He listened for a moment, before speaking again. "Don't worry about a thing, Prime Minister, We're on our way."

AN: Writing a series rewrite it harder then I thought it would be. I'm currently stuck on my other story, Shifting Images, so I'm working on this one a bit, but don't expect posts too quickly, because I've not written ahead on this one.


	5. 05 05 - Victory of the Daleks Part 01

AN: Special thanks to Luna Alli Rose for all your help and your reviews. I hope you get five more minutes of flailing from this. Also thanks to MirrorFlower and DarkWind and Seska1729 for your reviews. Geronimo right back at ya.

Chapter 05 – Victory to the Daleks Part 01

The Tardis landed with it's usual thump, and The Doctor tore off away from Rose to get to the door first. Rose and Amelia stepped out behind then, to find themselves held at gunpoint by three solders armed with Lee Enfield rifles. The solders separated to allow entry for a squat well bred man smoking a cigar.

"Amelia? Rose? Winston Churchill." The doctor introduced. Amelia was glad the Rose had shown her the Tardis wardrobe, so she was no longer in her nightie.

"Doctor? Is it you?" Churchill asked.

"Oh Winston, my old friend."

Churchill held out his hand. At first Rose thought he was asking for a hand shake, but then the man beckoned for something.

"Ah... every time." The Doctor happily declared.

"What's he after?" Amelia asked.

"Tardis key, of course."

"Think of what I could achieve with your remarkable machine, Doctor. The lives that could be saved."

"Ah... doesn't work like that."

"Must I take it by force?" Churchill asked.

"I'd like to see you try." Countered the Doctor.

The two men stared down each other for a moment, before Churchill grinned. "At ease." He ordered his solders, who lowered their guns.

"You rang?" The Doctor asked.

The Prime Minister and the three time travellers moved down a corridor, as the building shook, plaster dust falling from the ceiling.

"So you've changed your face again." Churchill asked.

"Yeah, well, had a bit of work done." The Doctor replied, making Rose grin.

"Got it, got it, got it." Amelia declared excitedly, "Cabinet War Rooms, right?"

"Yep. Top secret heart of the War Office, right under London."

"And to think," Rose interjected, "Right now, You and I are out there somewhere, with Jack, stopping nanogenes from rewriting the human race."

"Oh, that was a day and a half." The Doctor reminisced. "Everybody lived, Rose."

"Who's Jack?" Amelia asked.

"An old friend of ours," Rose answered. "He's gorgeous."

"What?" The Doctor demanded, "He's-" Then the nine hundred year old man pouted like a child.

Don't worry, Doctor I still love you the most." She said, wrapping her hands around his arm, and kissing his cheek.

They walked for another minute, before Churchill spoke again.

"You're late, by the way."

"That's what I get for letting him drive without my help." Rose commented.

The Doctor waited while The Prime Minister signed off on some requisition forms before speaking.

"Late?"

"I rang you a month ago."

Rose cleared her throat pointedly.

The Doctor ignored her. "Really? Sorry, sorry. It's a Type Forty Tardis, it's. I'm just running her in."

The Prime Minister checked on the mood of a woman before being approached by a man in a suit.

"Excuse me, sir. Got another formation coming in, Prime Minister. Stukas, by the look of them."

"We shall go up top then, Group Captain. We'll give them what for." Churchill said, before turning to The Doctor. "Coming, Doctor?"

"Why?" He asked.

"I have something to show you."

They rode an elevator up to the roof, Churchill puffing on his cigar the whole time. On the way up, he spoke to the time travellers with passion.

"We stand at a crossroads Doctor, quite alone, with our backs to the wall. Invasion is expected daily. So I will grasp with both hands anything that will give us an advantage over the Nazi menace."

"Such as?" The Doctor asked.

"Follow me." Churchill responded after the elevator stopped. The Doctor looked at Rose, both having a bad feeling about what he was going to show them.

The roof of the building was lined with sandbags, and alone stood a white-coated scientist watching the approaching Nazi planes with high powered binoculars.

"Wow." Amelia declared as the time travellers made it onto the roof.

"Doctor," Churchill called over the sound of the air horns. "This is Professor Edwin Bracewell. Head of our Ironsides Project."

The Doctor gave Bracewell a 'V for victory' salute, with one hand well taking Rose's hand with the other.

"How do you do?" Bracewell called to them.

Amelia seemed speechless, but still managed a few words, stuttering them out. "Oh Doctor... Doctor it's..."

"History." The Doctor replied.

"Old memories." Rose added.

"Ready, Bracewell?" The Prime Minister called.

"Aye aye, sir." He called back. "On my order, fire!"

The sound of very familiar laser fire echoed out from a sandbag embankment near them.

"Oh my god." Rose said breathlessly. " Doctor, I know that sound."

"What was that?" Amelia asked.

The Doctor charged forward, dropping Rose's hand. "That wasn't human. That was never human technology. That sounded like... Show me. Show me. Show me what that was!"

Rose followed the Doctor as he climbed a short ladded to the level of the roof where the embankment was.

"Advance." Ordered Bracewell.

"Our new secret weapon. Ha!" Churchill called, excitedly.

Out rolled a Dalek, adorned with the British flag and army utility belts.

"Oh my god." Rose murmured.

"What do you think? Quite something, eh?" Churchill wondered.

"What are you doing here?" The Doctor asked the Dalek.

"I AM YOUR SOLDER." The Dalek replied.

"What?"

"I AM YOUR SOLDER." The Dalek repeated.

"Stop this. Stop now. Now, you know who I am. You always know."

"YOUR IDENTITY IS UNKNOWN."

"What about me, eh, Dalek?" Rose asked angrily. "What about my identity? The killer of the emperor? The Bad Wolf?"

The Dalek paused for a moment, before responding. "YOUR IDENTITY IS UNKNOWN."

"Perhaps I can clarify things here. This is one of my Ironsides."

"Your what?" The Doctor and Rose asked at the same time.

"You will help the Allied cause in any way that you can." Bracewell commanded.

"YES." The Dalek agreed

"Until the Germans have been utterly smashed." He continued.

"YES."

"And what is your ultimate aim?"

"TO WIN THE WAR."

The time travellers followed The Prime Minister to his office, where he pulled a bunch of papers from a file cabinet.

"They're Daleks. They're called Daleks." The Doctor insisted.

"They are Bracewell's Ironsides, Doctor. Look. Blueprints, statistics, field tests, photographs. He invented them."

"Invented them? Oh ho ho. No. No. No."

"Yes. He approached one of our brass hats a few months ago. Fellow's a genius."

"A Scottish genius, too. Maybe you should listen to-" Amelia said, but was cut off.

The doctor shushed Amelia rudely, before going back to his arguing with Churchill. Rose pulled Amelia aside.

"Amelia, they are Daleks, the most hate filled race in the universe. We've fought them on multiple occasions."

After that sentence, Rose tuned back into what the doctor was saying.

"And totally hostile."

"Exactly," Churchill agreed, "They will win me the war."

"Why won't you listen to me?" The Doctor asked, as they left Churchill's office and headed into the corridor. "Why did you call me in if you won't listen to me?"

"When I rang you a month ago, I must admit I had my doubts. The Ironsides seemed too good to be true."

"Things that seem to good to be true usually are." Rose pointed out.

"So destroy them. Exterminate them." The Doctor instructed.

"But imagine what I could do with a hundred. A thousand."

The thought of a thousand Daleks make Rose's skin crawl. She thought back to the massacre caused by the single Dalek in VanStaten's bunker in Utah, and shivered at the idea of what thousands could do.

"I am imagining." The Doctor said. "Amelia, tell him."

"Tell him what?" She asked.

"About the Daleks."

"What would I know about the Daleks?"

"Everything." The Doctor said. "They invaded your world, remember? Planets in the sky. You don't forget that. Amelia, tell me you remember the Daleks."

"No, Sorry."

"That's not possible." The Doctor said, before walking away, following Churchill and dragging Rose with him.

"Doctor, why doesn't she remember?" Rose asked in a whisper so only he could hear.

"I don't know." He replied just as quietly.

They arrived in the map room and leaned together against the wall, waiting for Amelia to catch up.

"So, they're up to something. But what is it? What are they after?" The doctor wondered aloud.

"Well, let's just ask, shall we?" Amelia said, before approaching one of the Daleks.

"Amelia," The Doctor said raising his voice, trying to stop her, "Amelia."

"Amelia, stay back from them." Rose ordered, grabbing her arm.

"It'll be fine." Amelia said, shaking Rose's hand off. She approached the Dalek and tapped on it's shell.

"CAN I BE OF ASSISTANCE." The Dalek asked.

"Oh. Yes, yes. See, my friend reckons you're dangerous. That you're an alien. Is it true?"

"I AM YOUR SOLDER." The Dalek yelled.

"Yeah. Got that bit. Love a squaddie. What else, though?"

"PLEASE EXCUSE ME, I HAVE DUTIES TO PERFORM."

The Doctor approached Churchill, pulling Rose with him, and takes the cigar out of the man's mouth.

"Winston. Winston, please."

"We are waging total war, Doctor. Day after day the Luftwaffe pound this great city like an iron fist."

"You have to understand, Mister Churchill," Rose said, "The Daleks are the most violent, malevolent force in the universe. They aren't servants, and they are up to something."

"Men, women and children slaughtered. Families torn apart. Wren's churches in flames." Churchill continued, giving Rose a pitying look.

"Yeah, try the earth in flames." The Doctor described.

"I weep for my country. I weep for my empire. It is breaking my heart." Churchill said.

"You're resisting, Winston." The Doctor declared. "The whole world knows you're resisting. You're a beacon of hope."

"But for how long? Millions of innocent lives will be saved if I use these Ironsides now."

"CAN I BE OF ASSISSTANCE?" Asked a Dalek.

"Shut it." The Doctor said, pointing at the Dalek, before going back to Churchill. "Listen to me. Just listen. The Daleks have no conscience, no mercy, no pity. They are my oldest and deadliest enemy. You cannot trust them."

"If Hitler invaded hell, I would give a favourable reference to the Devil. These machines are our salvation."

In the distance a siren could be heard.

"Oh, the All Clear. We are safe, for now." Churchill exclaimed, putting his hand to his chest, and puffing heavily. He left the room followed by one of the Daleks.

"Doctor, it's the All Clear. You okay?" Amelia asked

"What does hate look like, Amelia?" The Doctor asked.

"Hate?"

"Hate looks like a Dalek." Rose answered.

"And I'm going to prove it." The Doctor said.

The time travellers moved together to Bracewell's office where the man was hard at work. His office was a collaboration of drawings, sketches and paperwork littering every surface.

"All right, Prof." The Doctor said, pulling Rose around the room by her hand, fiddling with things as he went, picking up a spanner, before putting it down somewhere else, and picking up a folder of papers "Now, the PM's been filling me in. Amazing things, these Ironsides of yours. Amazing. You must be very proud of them."

"Just doing my bit." Bracewell said.

"Not bad for a Paisley boy." Amelia commented.

"Yes, I thought I detected a familiar cadence, my dear." Bracewell noted.

"How did you come up with the idea for the Daleks... err... Ironsides?" Rose asked.

"How does the muse of invention come to anyone?" Bracewell responded rhetorically.

"But you get a lot of these clever notions, do you?"

"Well, ideas just seem to teem from my head." Bracewell explained. "Wonderful things, like. Let me show you. Some musings on the potential of hypersonic flight. Gravity bubbles that can sustain life outside of the terrestrial atmosphere. Came to me in the bath."

"Doctor," Rose whispered to him, "Those things are way beyond nineteen forty-one."

"Yeah, they are." He replied to her, before turning to Bracewell. "And are these your ideas or theirs?"

"Oh no, no, no. These robots are entirely under my control, Doctor. They are-"He stopped mid-sentence turning to take tea from a Dalek that brought it to him, before continuing, "The perfect servant, and the perfect warrior.

The Doctor leaned over Bracewell threateningly. "I don't know what you're up to, Professor, but whatever they've promised, you cannot trust them. Call them what you like, the Daleks are death."

While The Doctor was talking to Bracewell, Rose had a suspicion. She moved around behind the scientist, before carefully pulling out her sonic screwdriver, and subtly scanning Bracewell. The results were astounding. She thought maybe he was a time traveller, but not this.

"Doctor." She called. As she called his name, Churchill entered the room, responding to The Doctor's statement.

"Yes, Doctor. Death to our enemies. Death to the forces of darkness, and death to the Third Reich."

"Doctor!" Rose called again.

"Yes, Winston, and death to everyone else too."

"WOULD YOU CARE FOR SOME TEA?" A Dalek asked.

"Doctor!" Rose practically screams this time.

"What?" The Doctor practically screamed back.

Rose approached the Doctor so she could whisper in his ear. "Bracewell is an android."

The Doctor stared at her for a moment, before whipping out his screwdriver, and scanning Bracewell. He looked at the screwdriver, before talking. "Oh ho ho... This is interesting."

He lunged at Bracewell, and ripped open his shirt.

"Doctor!" Amelia cried.

"Good gods man, what are you doing?" Churchill demanded.

"He's an android." The Doctor explained.

"A what?" Churchill asked.

The Doctor aimed his screwdriver at Bracewell, causing his chest to slide apart showing gold coloured metal plating. "He's a machine."


	6. 05 06 - Victory of the Daleks Part 02

AN: Woo! Longest one yet. 29 pages. I'd like to thank my reviewers: Luna Alli Rose, MirrorFlower and DarkWind, Jade Johanson , and Antisocial Me. Thank you, it's you guys that keeps me writing on this story, to the point I'm neglecting my Harry Potter Story. Bad Me.

Chapter 06 – Victory of the Daleks Part 02

"I'm human!" Bracewell declared, pointing at The Doctor, "I'm as human as you are."

Rose couldn't help but snicker at that. "M' sorry, Professor, but you're not."

"And what about you lot?" The Doctor demanded of the Daleks, "What part do you have to play in this."

"I AM YOUR SOLDIER." Shouted one of the Daleks.

"Stop this!" The Doctor screamed. "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

"WE SEEK ONLY TO HELP YOU." The Dalek replied.

"To do what?"

"TO WIN THE WAR."

"Really? Which war?"

"I DO NOT UNDERSTAND."

"This war, against the Nazis, or your war? The war against the rest of the Universe? The war against all life forms that are not Dalek?"

"I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. I AM YOUR SOLDIER."

"Oh, yeah? Okay. Okay, soldier, defend yourself." The Doctor ordered before picking up a large spanner and pulling it over his shoulder about to swing it at the Dalek.

Rose leaps forward between The Doctor and the Dalek. "Don't, Doctor, you're better than this."

The Doctor stared at her for a moment, before lowering the spanner, and setting it back against the wall.

"There's got to be a better way." She said, before turning to the Daleks. "You hate us. You know you do. You want to kill us, yet you're not. So how come? You know who we are."

"YOU'RE IDENTITIES ARE UNKNOWN."

"He's the Doctor, and I'm Rose Tyler, the Bad Wolf. And you are the Daleks."

The Dalek she was speaking to backed up and stared at her for a moment before speaking. "CORRECT. REVIEW TESTIMONY."

The second Dalek trundled forward and played a recording of Rose speaking. "He's the Doctor, and I'm Rose Tyler, the Bad Wolf. And you are the Daleks."

"Testimony. What are you talking about, testimony?" The Doctor asked.

"TRANSMITTING TESTIMONY NOW." The Dalek stated, ignoring The Doctor for the moment.

"Transmit what, where?" The Time Lord asked.

"TESTIMONY ACCEPTED." The second Dalek cried.

"Get back, everyone." Rose ordered, backing up, and pulling The Doctor with her.

"Marines! Marines! Get in here!" Churchill commanded.

Two marines entered the room, guns at the ready, only to be immediately shot down by one of the Daleks.

"Stop it, stop it, please. What are you doing? You are my Ironsides." Bracewell said, speaking up for the first time since finding out he was a machine.

"WE ARE THE DALEKS."

"But I created you!"

"NO. WE CREATED YOU." The first Dalek informed him. "VICTORY. VICTORY. VICTORY."

In a flash of bright light, and energy, the Dalek's were gone, teleported away.

"What just happened, Doctor?" Amelia asked.

"I wanted to know what they wanted. What their plan was. We were their plan."

With a slight hop, The Doctor was running for the Tardis. Amelia and Rose chased after him, catching up as he was unlocking the Tardis door. "Testimony accepted. That's what they said. Rose's testimony."

"Don't beat yourself up because you were right." Amelia ordered, "So, what do we do? Is this what we do now? Chase after them?"

"This is what I do yeah," The Doctor said, "and it's dangerous, so you wait here."

"Fat chance." Rose declared. "I have almost as much against the Daleks as you do. I'm coming too." She looked at Amelia.

"We'll be back."

"What, so you mean I've got to stay safe down here in the middle of the London Blitz?"

"Safe as it gets around us."

Rose followed The Doctor into the Tardis, where they ran to the console. The Doctor began working the scanner.

"Scanning for an alien ship?" She asked? "Finally a bit of Spock."

The Doctor wanted to grin at her, but in the situation, he was only capable of grimacing. He flipped the switch on the monitor, getting an at first blurry image of a ship near the surface of the moon.

"Come on. Bingo!"

The Tardis dematrialized, and they were off. Moments later, The Doctor pulled Rose out the door with him, walking hand in hand toward the three Daleks, who were all situated in a parallel line.

"How about that cuppa now, then?"

"IT IS THE DOCTOR! EXTERMINATE"

"Wait wait wait!" The Doctor called, dropping Rose's hand, and pulling out a Jammie Dodger biscuit from within his jacket pocket. "I wouldn't if I were you. Tardis self-destruct, and you know what that means. My ship goes, you all go with it."

"YOU WOULD NOT USE SUCH A DEVICE." Said the Dalek on the right.

The Dalek on the left moved forward, and Rose stepped out from behind the Doctor.

"Nope, no you don't. No scanning, no nothing!"

"One move and I'll destroy us all, you got that? Tardis bang bang, Daleks boom!" The Doctor shouted, causing the oncoming Dalek to back up till he was in line with the other two. "Good boy. This ship's pretty beaten up. Running on empty, I'd say, like you. When we last met, you were at the end of your rope. Finished."

"ONE SHIP SURVIVED." Said the right Dalek.

"And you fell back through time, yes. Crippled, dying."

"WE PICKED UP A TRACE. ONE OF THE PROGENITOR DEVICES."

"Progenitor? What's that when it's at home?"

"IT IS OUR PAST, AND OUR FUTURE."

"Oh? That's deep. That is deep for a Dalek." The Doctor mused.

"Yes, but what does it do?" Rose asked.

"IT CONTAINS PURE DALEK DNA." Said the gold coloured Dalek in the centre, "THOUSANDS WERE CREATED. ALL WERE LOST, SAVE ONE."

"Okay, but there's still one thing I don't get, though. If you've got the Progenitor, why build Bracewell?"

"I was wondering that myself." Rose added.

"IT WAS NECESSARY."

But why?" The Doctor paused as he thought. "I get it. Oh, I get it. I get it. Oh ho! This is rich. The Progenitor wouldn't recognise you, would it? It saw you as impure. Your DNA is unrecognisable as Dalek."

"A SOLUTION WAS DEVISED."

"Yes, yes, yes. Us. Our testimony. So you set a trap. You knew that the Progenitor would recognise us, the Daleks' greatest enemies. It would accept our word. Our recognition of you."

As he spoke, one of the Daleks turned to access a terminal.

"Doctor." Rose said, calling his attention to the Dalek.

"No. No, no. What are you doing?"

"WITHDRAWL NOW, DOCTOR, OR THE CITY DIES IN FLAMES." Shouted the gold coloured Dalek.

"Who are you kidding? This ship is a wreck. You don't have the power to destroy London"

"WATCH AS THE HUMANS DESTROY THEMSELVES."

"What are they doing, Doctor?" Rose asked, sounding worried.

"Turn those lights off now. Turn London off or I swear I will use the Tardis self destruct."

"STALEMATE, DOCTOR. LEAVE US AND RETURN TO EARTH."

"Oh, that's it. That's your great victory? You leave?"

"Yeah, tha's not going to happen." Rose declared.

"EXTINCTION IS NOT AN OPTION. WE SHALL RETURN TO OUR OWN TIME AND BEGIN AGAIN."

"No, no, no. I won't let you get away this time. I won't."

Suddenly, the doors behind the Daleks shut with a loud swish, and there was a stepping up sound of power being charged.

"WE HAVE SUCCEEDED. DNA RECONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE." Red energy surged along the walls of the pod behind the Daleks, and the doors opened, sparks flying, and smoke pouring out.

"OBSERVE DOCTOR, AND BAD WOLF, A NEW DALEK PARADIGM."

Out of the smoke rolled five new Daleks each a different colour.

"THE PROGENITOR HAD FULFILLED OUR NEW DESTINY." Screamed the gold coloured Dalek. "BEHOLD, THE RESTORATION OF THE DALEKS. THE RESURRECTION OF THE MASTER RACE."

"ALL HAIL THE NEW DALEKS. ALL HAIL THE NEW DALEKS." All three of the old Daleks shouted in tandem.

"YES, YOU ARE INFERIOR." Said the Blue Dalek, his voice deeper and somehow even more monotone then the original three Daleks.

"YES." Said the gold coloured Dalek.

"THEN PREPARE." The white Dalek ordered, as the blue Dalek turned to face the original three.

"WE ARE READY." Spoke up all three again.

"CLEANSE THE UNCLEAN." Screamed the white Dalek. "TOTAL OBLITERATION. DISINTEGRATE."

The Blue Dalek fired it's beam weapon at two of the Daleks, turning them into nothing, while the red Dalek turned, and fired on the third.

"They just killed 'em!" Rose muttered, horrified.

"Blimey. What do you do to the ones who mess up?"

"YOU ARE THE DOCTOR." Shouted the white Dalek, as it rolled forward. "AND YOU ARE THE KILLER OF THE EMPEROR. YOU MUST BE EXTERMINATED."

The Doctor smirked, holding out the jammie dodger again. "Don't mess with me, sweetheart."

"WE ARE THE NEW DALEK RACE." Said the white Dalek. "SCIENTIST, STRATEGIST, DRONE, ETERNAL, AND THE SUPREME."

"Which would be you, I'm guessing." The Doctor commented, with a grin. "Well, you know, nice paint job. I'd be feeling pretty swish if I looked like you. Pretty supreme."

"Question is," The Doctor drawled, "What do we do now? Either you turn off your clever machine or I'll blow you and your new paradigm into eternity."

"AND YOURSELF. AND YOUR LOVE."

"Occupational hazard." The Doctor declared.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Rose stated.

Suddenly the blue Dalek spoke up. "SCAN REVEALS NOTHING. TARDIS SELF DESTRUCT DEVICE NON-EXISTENT."

The Doctor took a bit of the biscuit, before speaking with his mouth full. "Alright, it's a Jammie Dodger, but I was promised tea.

The sound of an alarm ringing drew the attention of everyone in the room.

"What's that?" Rose asked the Daleks. The Yellow Dalek spun around to look at a console with a screen.

"ALERT. UNIDENTIFIED PROJECTILE APPROACHING. CORRECTION, MULTIPLE PROJECTILES." It screamed.

The Doctor and Rose ran over to another screen, trying to figure out what was going on.

"WHAT HAVE THE HUMANS DONE?" Asked the white Dalek.

"I dunno." Answered the Doctor.

"EXPLAIN. EXPLAIN. EXPLAIN." Shouted the white Dalek.

Suddenly a human voice filled the room, being picked up by the Dalek systems, that of a pilot trying to reach The Doctor.

"Danny Boy to the Doctor. Danny Boy to the Doctor. Are you receiving me? Over."

"Oh ho! Winston, you beauty."

"Danny Boy to the Doctor. Come in. Over." Came the pilot's voice again.

"Loud and clear, Danny Boy. Big dish, side of the ship. Blow it up. Over."

"EXTERMINATE THE DOCTOR AND THE BAD WOLF." Screamed the white Dalek.

"Run!" Cried The Doctor, grabbing onto Rose's hand, and pulling her with him, as he ran for the Tardis. They both ducked, dodging Dalek fire, as they made the door of the Tardis. With a snap of The Doctor's fingers, the doors opened, and they were inside and safe, shutting the doors behind them. They approached the console, and The Doctor worked the controls to listen in on the radio signals.

"Broadsword to Danny Boy. Target the dish and stop that signal. Over." Came a voice that Rose recognised from their time in Churchill's base.

"Understood, sir. Over." Said the pilot, Danny boy.

"You can count on us. Over." Said a second pilot.

"Okay, chaps, let's put London back under cover of darkness. Tally ho!"

The Doctor and Rose listened as an aerial dogfight took place, and two of the pilots died. It was horrible, and Rose had tears in her eyes, mourning the men who lost their lives trying to stop the Dalek threat.

"Danny Boy to the Doctor." The last remaining pilot called. "Only me left now. Anything you can do, sir? Over."

"The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. I can disrupt the Dalek shields, but not for long. Over."

"Good show, Doctor." The pilot said, "Go to it. Over."

The Doctor hurriedly hacked into the Dalek systems deactivating the shield. Moments later the pilot's voice came over the radio. "Direct hit, sir! Danny Boy to the Doctor. Going in for another attack."

"The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. Destroy this ship. Over."

"What about you, Doctor?"

"We'll be okay." The Doctor said, looking at Rose, with a crooked smile on his face.

Before she could respond the Tardis's large screen activated, showing an image of the white Dalek.

"DOCTOR," It said, "CALL OFF YOUR ATTACK."

"Ah ha. What, and let you scuttle off back to the future?" The Doctor asked, "No fear. This is the end for you. The final end."

"CALL OFF THE ATTACK OR WE WILL DESTROY THE EARTH."

"I'm not stupid, mate." The Doctor laughed, "You've just played your last card."

"BRACEWELL IS A BOMB."

"You're bluffing. Deception's second nature to you. There isn't a sincere bone in your body. There isn't a bone in your body."

"HIS POWER IS DERIVED FROM AN OBLIVION CONTINUUM. CALL OFF YOUR ATTACK OR WE WILL DETONATE THE ANDROID."

"No." The Doctor Demanded. "This is my best chance ever. The last of the Daleks. I can rid the Universe of you, once and for all." The Doctor moved away from watching the big screen, and flipped a switch on the console, transferring the image of the Dalek to the Tardis's scanner.

"THEN DO IT." The Dalek ordered. "BUT WE WILL SHATTER THE PLANET BELOW. THE EARTH WILL DIE SCREAMING."

"Yeah, and if I let you go, you'll be stronger than ever. A new race of Daleks."

"THEN CHOOSE, DOCTOR. DESTROY THE DALEKS OR SAVE THE EARTH. BEGIN COUNTDOWN OF OBLIVION CONTINUUM. CHOOSE, DOCTOR CHOOSE. CHOOSE."

"The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. Withdraw."

"Say again, sir. Over." Danny Boy questioned.

"Withdraw. Return to Earth. Over and out."

"But Sir?" Danny boy asked.

"There's no time. You have to return to Earth now. Over."

While The Doctor was talking to Danny Boy, Rose was edging toward the door of the Tardis.

"Doctor," She called, " I'll see you soon, yeah?"

"What?" He looked at her and noticed her position. "What are you doing?"

"We can't let the Dalek's get away, so I'll deal with them, while you deal with the bomb."

"I'm not leaving you here, I'm not!" The Doctor's voice raised as he spoke till he screamed the last statement.

"I'm sorry Doctor, but you don't have a choice." Then she slipped out of the Tardis, aiming her screwdriver at it as she shut the door. She activated the screwdriver and the Tardis started it's dematrialization sequence. She could hear The Doctor banging on the locked door as the Tardis left, but she didn't have time to worry about that.

"EXTERMINATE!"

Rose dove to the side, dodging the Dalek's fire, and pulled out the small gun that she hadn't told The Doctor about yet. She leaned out from the wall where she was under cover, aimed at the blue Dalek's eyestalk and pulled the trigger.

The Tardis landed with a jolt, and The Doctor angrily worked the controls, but nothing responded. "Come on! Come on! Take me back!"

He sighed heavily, before running out of the Tardis, and heading for Bracewell. Upon getting to him, The Doctor laid him out with a punch to the face.

"Doctor, what's going on?" Amelia asked. She looked around and realised someone was missing. "Where's Rose?"

"Ow. Sorry, Professor, you're a bomb. An inconceivably massive Dalek bomb." He scanned Bracewell with his screwdriver. Luckily it seemed the bomb hadn't been triggered yet.

"There's an Oblivion Continuum inside you. A captured wormhole that provides perpetual power. Detonate that, and the Earth will bleed through into another dimension. Now keep down. Luckily it hasn't activated yet."

Of course, right as The Doctor said that the first segment of the lit up portioned off circle on his chest changed colour, signifying the bomb's activation.

"Well?" Amelia asked.

"I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. Never seen one up close before."

"So what, they've wired him up to detonate?" She inquired.

"Oh no, not wired him up. He is a bomb. Walking, talking, pow, exploding, the moment that flashes red."

"There's a blue wire or something you have to cut, isn't there? There's always a blue wire. Or a red one."

"You're not helping." The Doctor informed her.

"It's incredible." Churchill said, with awe in his voice, "He talked to us about his memories. The Great War."

"Someone else's stolen thoughts, implanted in a positronic brain. Tell me about it. Bracewell. Tell me about your life."

"Doctor, I really don't think this is the time." Bracewell commented.

"Tell me, and prove you're human." The Doctor demanded. " Tell me everything."

"My family ran the Post Office. It's a little place just near the abbey, just by the ash trees. There used to be eight trees but there was a storm."

"And your parents? Come on, tell me."

"Good people. Kind people. They died. Scarlet fever."

"What was that like? How did it feel? How did it make you feel, Edwin? Tell me. Tell me now."

"It hurt." Bracewell said sadly. "It hurt, Doctor, it hurt so badly. It was like a wound. I though it was worse than a wound. Like I'd been emptied out. There was nothing left."

"Good. Remember it now, Edwin." The Doctor ordered. "The ash trees by the Post Office and your mum and dad, and losing them, and men in the trenches you saw die. Remember it. Feel it. You feel it because you're human. You're not like them. You're not like the Daleks."

"It hurts, Doctor. It hurts so much"

"Good. Good, good, brilliant. Embrace it. That means you're alive. They cannot explode that bomb because you're a human being. You are flesh and blood. They cannot explode that bomb. Believe it. You are Professor Edwin Bracewell, and you, my friend, are a human being."

As they talked, the coloured segments continued to fill up, until it was almost completely red.

"It's not working. I can't stop it."

"Hey, Paisley." Amelia spoke up, "Ever fancied someone you know you shouldn't?"

"What?" Bracewell asked.

"It hurts, doesn't it? But kind of a good hurt."

"I really shouldn't talk about her." Bracewell said.

"Oh, there's a her."

The last segment which had turned yellow, the last colour before going red, turned back to blue.

"What was her name?" The Doctor asked.

"Dorabella." Bracewell answered.

"Dorabella? It's a lovely name. It's a beautiful name." The Doctor said.

"What was she like, Edwin?" Amelia wondered.

"Oh, such a smile." Bracewell reminisced. "And her eyes. Her eyes were so blue. Almost violet, like the last touch of sunset on the edge of the world. Dorabella."

All of the red segments returned to blue, and the bomb deactivated.

"Welcome to the human race."

The Doctor points at Churchill, then Bracewell, before turning to Amelia. "You're brilliant, and you're brilliant. And you." He kissed Amelia on the forehead.

"Now. Got to stop them. Stop the Daleks." The Doctor stated, jumping to a standing position, and turning to run back to the Tardis.

"Wait, Doctor." Bracewell said. "Wait, wait. It's too late. Gone. They've gone."

"No. No! They can't. They can't have got away from me again." The Doctor shouted.

"No, I can feel it." Bracewell said, "My mind is clear. The Daleks have gone."

"Doctor, it's okay." Amelia attempted to console him, "You did it. You stopped the bomb. Doctor?"

"I had a choice. And they knew I'd choose the Earth. The Daleks have won. They beat me. They've won, They've gone, and they took Rose with them."

"What?" Amelia asked, horrified.

"Oh, my Doctor when are you going to learn, you'll never be rid of me." Said a voice from behind them. The Doctor spun to see Rose standing in the doorway to Bracewell's lab.

"Rose?" He asked, mystified.

"My Doctor." Rose said. The Doctor lunged at her, scooping her into a hug, lifting her off the ground, before kissing her soundly, and deeply, forgetting they had company. After a moment, Churchill cleared his throat, causing them to break their kiss.

"How did you get off their ship?" The Doctor asked.

She held up her left forearm, showing the device strapped to her wrist.

"A vortex manipulator?" The Doctor was amazed. "Where did you get that?"

"I made it. Never could get the time travel aspect quite right, but it's a hell of a space hopper. Sadly, I was only able to take out three of the Daleks before they activated the time jump, and I had to pop back here."

"Take out?" The Doctor asked, mystified. "But... How... What... Why... How?"

"With this." She reached into the pocket of her Tardis blue bomber jacket and pulled out a small gun.

"But, that's a Compact Laser Deluxe!"

"I told you I still had surprises. The metacrisis Doctor helped me build it, and souped it up. It'll crack a Dalek wide open."

"What else have you got in those pockets?"

"You'll just have to wait and see."

Arm-in-arm, The Doctor and Rose went to the air strip to take the advanced tech from the planes. By the time they finished the sun was rising in the east, and a new day was upon them. They went to the map room to find Amelia in conversation with Churchill.

"Where's the Doctor and Rose?" Amelia asked.

"Tying up loose ends." The Doctor called, as they entered the room. "I've taken out all the alien tech Bracewell put in."

"Won't you reconsider, Doctor? Those Spitfires would win me the war in twenty four hours."

"'Zactly." Rose said.

"But why not?" Churchill demanded. "Why can't we put an end to all this misery?"

"Oh, it doesn't work like that, Winston, and it's going to be tough. There are terrible days to come. The darkest days. But you can do it. You know you can."

"Stay with us, and help us win through." Churchill said. "The world needs you."

"The World doesn't need me." The Doctor.

"No?"

"The world's got Winston Spencer Churchill." The Doctor said with a grin, before throwing up a 'V for victory' hand sign.

"It's been a pleasure, Doctor, as always."

"Too right." The Doctor agreed. Churchill stood straight, and put his hands out for a hug, which The Doctor gladdy accepted.

"Oh, shall we say adieu."

"Indeed." Churchill said, before turning to the ladies. "Good by Miss Pond, Miss Tyler."

"It's... it's been amazing, meeting you." Amelia gushed.

"I'm sure it has." Winston agreed.

"It's been great." Rose said.

"Indeed it has." Churchill capitulated, before turning to take his leave.

"Oi, Churchill." Amelia said, with her hand out, "Tardis key. The one you just took from The Doctor."

"Oh ho... she's good Doctor," He held up the key he had lifted, and returned it to Amelia. "As sharp as a pin. Almost as sharp as me."

Churchill held up a fist. "K.B.O." And with that, he left. The Doctor held out his hand for the Tardis key, and Amelia rolled her eyes, before returning it. The three time travellers headed to Bracewell's lab, where they found him staring off into space.

"I've been expecting you, Doctor." Bracewell said. "I knew this moment had to come."

"Moment?" The Doctor asked.

"It's time to de-activate me."

"Is it? Oh. Er, yeah." The Doctor looked confused.

"You have no choice." Bracewell informed him. "I'm Dalek technology. Can't allow me to go pottering around down here where I have no business."

"No, you're dead right, Professor. A hundred percent right. And by the time I get back here in what, ten minutes?" The Doctor asked, looking to Amelia.

"More like fifteen."

"Fifteen minutes, yeah, that's exactly what I'm going to do. You are going to be so de-activated. It's going be like you've never even been activated."

"Yeah." Amelia agreed.

"Fifteen minutes?" Bracewell asked.

"More like twenty, if I'm honest. Once Pond, Rose, and I see to the urgent thing we've got to see to. The, the. See?"

"Very well, Doctor, I shall wait here, and... prepare myself."

"Blimey," Rose said, "I though you said he was a genius... Then again... Genius's do have a way of missing the obvious... The London eye."

"Oi!" The Doctor shouted.

"That Dalek tech a bit slow on the uptake. That thing we've got to do, going to take half an hour, realistically, isn't it, Doctor?"

The Doctor glared at Rose before responding to Amelia. "Easily. So no running off, that's what I'm saying. Don't go trying to find that little Post Office with the ash trees or that girl. What was her name?"

"Dorabella."

"Dorabella. On no account go looking for her. Mind you, you can get a lot done in half an hour."

It seemed like the penny finally dropped for the man, because a large grin spread on his face. "Thank you. Thank you, Doctor."

The Doctor grabbed Rose hand before speaking. "Come along, Pond." He turned and left the lab, Amelia following behind him. They returned to the Tardis, leaning against the doors, before Amelia spoke again.

"You've got enemies, then?"

"Everyone's got enemies." The Doctor replied.

"Yeah, but mine's the woman outside Budgens with the mental Jack Russell. You've got, like, you know, arch-enemies."

"Suppose so."

"And here's me thinking we'd just be running through time, being daft and fixing stuff. But no, it's dangerous."

"Yep, very. Is that a problem?"

"I'm still here, aren't I?" Amelia said with a laugh. Before sighing heavily. "You're worried about the Daleks."

"We;re always worried about the Daleks." Rose replied.

"It'll take time though, won't it? I mean, there's still not many of them. They'll need a while to build themselves up."

"It's not that. There's something else. Something we've forgotten. Or rather you have."

"Me?" Amelia asked.

"You didn't know them, Amelia. You'd never seen them before. And you should have done. You should."

He unlocked the door, and the three entered, to be greeted by the humming of the Tardis.

"What does that mean?" Amelia asked.

"I don't know. But I'll work it out."

"Come on, Amelia," Rose said, knowing it was best to distract the girl. "You're probably exhausted. Let's find you a room."


	7. 05 07 - Intermission 01

This chapter goes out to **Jade Johanson who wanted more fluff. I don't think I'm very good at writing fluff, but here ya go, anyway.**

Chapter 07 – Intermission 01

Rose lie in bed next to the Doctor, both of whom were panting heavily, thanks to the physical activities they had just completed. She was aching pleasently, and didn't want to get up. One thing that had been bugging her came back to her mind. She rolled onto her side, lying her head on The Doctor's chest, and looking up at him.

"Doctor, since when can you open the Tardis by snapping your fingers?"

"Oh, that's a recent development. In my last incarnation, I went to The Library. Biggest library in the universe. So big it doesn't even need a name, just a great big 'THE'."

"Surprised you didn't get kicked out, that gob of yours." Rose grinned.

"Yes, well, the place was empty of people. Had to deal with some nasty flesh eating shadows, and a bunch of archaeologists."

"What's wrong with archaeologists?" Rose asked.

"I'm a time traveller. I point and laugh at archaeologists."

"What I don't understand is, the meta-crisis doctor told me all about your adventures, but he never mentioned The Library. Why is that?"

"I don't know." The Doctor lied. He knew damn well why she didn't know about The Library. He didn't want to bring up the likelihood that he'd have to end up marrying Professor River Song. After all, she did know his true name. So anyway, all these people were teleported away and saved in the computer's hard drive. The only way to save them all was to plug myself into the computer, but it would have probably killed me. Rover Song knocked me out, and sacrificed herself to save me."

Rose brought her hand over her mouth gasping in shock. "So you're only alive because of her."

"Thing is, she knew me." The Doctor explained. "She was someone from my future, so it's entirely possible that we'll meet her at some point."

"I'm looking forward to it. I could thank her. Of course, I couldn't tell her what I'm thanking her for, but all the same."

Suddenly, The Doctor leapt up, and grabbed his trousers. "Get dressed, I have an idea."

Minutes later they were in the console room, and The Doctor was working the dials and switches that controlled where and when the Tardis landed.

"Stay over there," He said, "It's a surprise."

It took only moments for the Tardis to land, and The dcotr was quickly by Rose's side, grabbing a hold of her hand, and dragging her to the doors. The stepped outside to see a metal framework standing almost directly in front of them.

"March thirty-first, eighteen eighty nine, the grand opening of the Eiffel Tower. 324 meters tall, and the entry arch to the worlds fair."

"How romantic." Rose said, only partly sarcastic.

After seeing the view at the top of the tower, they had dinner at a small café near by. It was very romantic, no matter what anyone said.


	8. 05 08 - Time of the Angels Part 01

AN: I had serious issue with the mythology of this episode, so I got rid of the things that didn't make much sense, compared to the last time the weeping angels showed up in season 3, so... No looking into the eyes bad, no image of an angel is an angel. Luckily, I did it using the plot, and Rose. Sorry, if you like the cannon episode.

Special thanks to **Antisocial Me,** **MirrorFlower and DarkWind, and **Maria EduardaB for their reviews.

Chapter 08 – Time of the Angels Part 01

"Wrong. Wrong. Bit right, mostly wrong. I love museums." The Doctor said, looking through the glass of a display in a museum.

"Yeah, great. Can we go to a planet now? Big space ship? Churchill's bunker? You promised me a planet next."

"You're forgetting Paris."

"What?" Amelia asked. "When did we go to Paris?"

"You were asleep," Rose informed her. "The Doctor and I went for dinner."

"You mean, you went to Paris without me?"

The Doctor stared at her for a moment, before hurriedly going back to his review of the displays.

"Wrong, wrong, very wrong. Amelia, this isn't any old asteroid. It's the Delerium Archive, the final resting place of the headless monks. The biggest museum ever."

"You've got a time machine." Amelia noted. "What do you need museums for?"

"Wrong. Very wrong. Ooo, one of mine." The Doctor observed, as he moved through the museum. "Also one of mine."

"Oh, I see. It's how you keep score."

"Huh," Rose said, "That's new to this body."

"What does that mean?" Amelia asked.

"He regenerates, it's a... thing." Rose answered, while the Doctor seemed very taken by a cube in a glass case. Rose moved up along side the Doctor, saw what was written on the cube, and gasped.

"Oh great, an old box." Amelia observed.

"It's from one of the old starliners." The Doctor explained, "It's a Home Box."

"What's a home box?" She asked.

"Like a black box on a plane, except it homes. Anything happens to the ship, the Home Box flies home with all the flight data."

"So?"

"The writing, the graffiti. It's-"

"Old high Gallifreyan." Rose finished.

"The lost language of the Time Lords." The Doctor said. And let me guess, Handy taught you?"

"Yeah, he did."

"I'm getting a little jealous here. I mean what am I supposed to teach you?"

"You've still got plenty to teach me." She said, grinning her tongue in teeth grin.

The Doctor stared at Rose for a moment, before turning to Amelia. "There were days, there were many days, these words could burn stars and raise up empires, and topple gods."

"What does it say?"

The Doctor looked at Rose with an eyebrow raised, challengingly.

She grinned at him and answered. "It says 'hello sweety'."

"Be ready to run." The Doctor instructed, before whipping out his sonic screwdriver, unlocking the case, and picking up the box, causing an alarm to go off. "Run!"

Together they fleet footed back to the Tardis as quickly as they could. Once safely inside Rose and The Doctor moved to the console, Amelia watching as they hooked the box to the monitor.

"Why are we doing this?"

Because someone on a spaceship twelve thousand years ago is trying to attract my attention. Let's see if we can get the security playback working

At first there was static, then an image came through, that of a woman in a dress winking at the camera. As they watched, the woman approached an air lock, then was confronted by a man.

"The party's over Doctor Song, yet still you're on board."

"Is that River Song?" Rose asked. The Doctor took her hand and squeezed it tightly, without looking away from the monitor.

"Sorry, Alistair." River said, "I needed to see what was in your vault. Do you all know what's down there? Any of you? Because I'll tell you something. This ship won't reach its destination."

"Wait till she runs." The man names Alister said, "Don't make it look like an execution."

"Triple seven five slash three four nine by ten zero twelve slash acorn. Oh, and I could do with an air corridor.

Hearing that, the Doctor leapt to the typewrite on the console, typing buttons, before pulling a couple of levers, and turnign a dial. Rose helped him work the console.

"What was that? What did she say?"

"Coordinates." The Doctor shouted happily.

They watched on the monitor as River got flushed out of the space ship she was on, before The Doctor ran to the doors and opened them. Moments later, River Song came flying into the Tardis, landing in The Doctor's arms.

"Doctor." Amelia said.

"River." The Doctor greeted.

"Rose." said Rose.

River and the Doctor leapt to their feet, watching the ship out the doors of the Tardis get further away. "Follow that ship."

The Doctor tears across the Tardis, to the console, followed by Rose, who both began working the controls. Rose Felt a hand lightly caress along her back near her waist, and glanced back expecting the Doctor, but instead saw River passing behind her. River joined them at the controls, and started working the console along with them.

"They've gone into warp drive. We're losing them. Stay close."

"I'm trying."

As they flew the Tardis shook and yawed, causing Rose to bang her hip on the console.

"Use the stabilizers." River ordered.

"There aren't any stabilizers." The Doctor responded.

"The blue switches."

"Oh, the blue one's don't do anything, they're just blue."

"Yes, they're blue. Look, they're the blue stabilisers." River instructed, as she pressed them, causing the shaking to stop. "See?"

"Yeah. Well, it's just boring now, isn't it? They're boring-ers. They're blue boring-ers."

"Doctor, how come she can fly the Tardis?" Amelia asked.

"I was wondering that myself." Rose stated.

"You call that flying the Tardis? Ha!"

"Okay. I've mapped the probability vectors, done a fold-back on the temporal isometry, charted the ship to its destination, and parked us right along side."

Unfortunately, there was nothing to inform the passengers that the Tardis had landed, no shaking, no thump, and no noise.

"Parked us?" The Doctor asked, "We haven't landed."

"Of course we've landed. I just landed her."

"But it didn't make the noise."

"What noise?" River asked.

"You know," He answered, "the-" Then The Doctor made deep grunting wheezing noises, mimicking the Tardis Engines.

"It's not supposed to make that noise. You leave the brakes on."

"Yeah, well, it's a brilliant noise. I love that noise."

"Me too." Rose added. The Doctor grabbed her hand before pulling her towards the door.

"Shall we?" He then glanced at Amelia. "Come along Pond. Let's have a look."

"No, wait." River called, "Environment checks."

"Oh yes, sorry. Quite right. Environment checks." The Doctor dropped Rose's hand, leaving her standing on the stairs, while he approached the door, opened it and stuck his head out for a moment, before leaning back in.

"Nice out."

"We're somewhere in the Garn Belt. There's an atmosphere. Early indications suggest that-"

"We're on Alfava Metraxis, the seventh planet of the Dundra System. Oxygen rich atmosphere, all toxins in the soft band, eleven hour day and..." He took another sniff outside, "chances of rain later."

"He thinks he's so hot when he does that." River stated.

"He kind of is." Rose replied, running her hand along her neck, and suppressing her need to drag him off to their bed room.

"How come you can fly the Tardis?" Amelia asked again.

"Oh, I had lessons from the very best."

"Well, yeah." The Doctor said with a grin, which was quickly wiped away.

"It's a shame you were busy that day." River said, before glancing at Rose with a small smile.

"Did I teach you to fly her?" Rose asked.

"Right then, why did they land here?" River wondered, ignoring Rose's question.

"They didn't land." The Doctor answered.

"Sorry?"

"You should've checked the Home Box. It crashed." River stepped outside, and The Doctor closed the door behind her.

"Explain. Who is that and how did she do that museum thing?" Amelia asked.

"It's a long story and I don't know most of it. Off we go."

"We're just leaving?" Rose asked. "That's not like you."

"Yes, well, She's got where she wants to go, let's go where we want to go."

"Are you basically running away?" Amelia asked.

"Yep."

"Why?" Rose wanted to know.

"Because she's the future. Our future." He said, pointing at himself and Rose.

"Can you run away from that?" Amelia wondered.

"I can run away from anything I like. Time is not the boss of me."

"Hang on, is that a planet out there?"

"Yes, of course it's a planet."

"You promised me a planet. Five minutes?"

The Doctor sighed heavily, looking between the hope on Rose's face and on Amelia's. "Okay, five minutes."

"Yes!" Amelia cried.

"But that's all, because I'm telling you now, that woman is not dragging me into anything."

"What caused it to crash? River asked, "Not me."

"Nah, the airlock would've sealed seconds after you blew it. According to the Home Box, the warp engines had a phase shift. No survivors."

"A phase shift would have to be sabotage." River decided, "I did warn them."

"About what?" The Doctor asked.

"Well, at least the building was empty. Aplan temple. Unoccupied for centuries."

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Amelia asked.

"Amelia Pond, Professor River Song."

"Ah, I'm going to be a Professor some day, am I? How exciting. Spoilers."

"Yeah, but who is she and how did she do that? She just left you a note in a museum."

"Two things always guaranteed to show up in a museum." River said, "The Home Box of a category four starliner and sooner or later, him. It's how he keeps score."

"So this is her," Rose whispered to The Doctor, "The woman from The Library."

"That's her, alright." He turned to face River, "I'm nobody's taxi service. I'm not going to be there to catch you every time you feel like jumping out of a space ship."

"And you are so wrong." River said, while typing into a pad device. "There's one survivor. There's a thing in the belly of that ship that can't ever die. Now he's listening."

River used the pad device as a communicator, talking to someone, while walking away a distance. Suddenly, she called out.

"Rose dear, can you sonic me, I need to boost the signal so we can use it as a beacon."

Rose moved closer to see what she was doing, before sonicing her communicator. River and Rose return to where The Doctor is standing. "We have a minute, shall we?"

She pulls out a blue book.

"Where are we up to? Have we done the Bone Meadows?"

"What's the book?" Amelia asked.

"Stay away from it." The Doctor said.

"But what is it, though?"

"Her diary."

"Our Diary." River said, pointing between herself, The Doctor, and Rose.

"Her past, our future. Time travel. We keep meeting in the wrong order. Though Rose hasn't met her yet. First time."

Rose noticed at that statement, River made a face, and just for a moment, she looked pained, but then it was gone, and the smirk was back. Suddenly four small tornadoes kick up a bunch of sand, and then where the spinning sand was stood four men, soldiers by the looks of them.

"You promised me an army, Doctor Song." Said the man in charge.

"I promised you the equivalent of an army. This is The Doctor and Rose Tyler." The Doctor saluted goofily, and Rose just grinned, and waved.

"Father Octavian, Sir, ma'am. Bishop, second class. Twenty clerics at my command. The troops are already in the drop ship and landing shortly. Doctor Song was helping us with a covert investigation. Has Doctor Song explained what we're dealing with?"

"Doctor, Rose," River said, "What do you know of the Weeping Angels?"

The Doctor stared at her for a moment before speaking. "Amelia, wait in the Tardis until I tell you it's safe. Rose-"

"Don't even try." She said. The Doctor sighed heavily, then took her hand and walked to where the rest of the soldiers were arriving, and starting to set up camp. Soon night had fallen, and Amelia was still hanging around with them.

"The Angel, as far as we know, is still trapped in the ship." Octavian explained. "Our mission is to get inside and neutralise it. We can't get through up top, we'd be too close to the drives. According to this, behind the cliff face there's a network of catacombs leading right up to the temple. We can blow through the base of the cliffs, get into the entrance chamber, then make our way up."

"Oh wonderful, catacombs." Rose muttered.

"Yup," The Doctor said with false cheer, "Catacombs. Probably dark ones. Dark catacombs. Great."

"Technically, I think it's called a maze of the dead."

"You can stop any time you like." The Doctor grumbled.

"Father Octavian." Called one of the other soldiers, drawing the man away.

"Excuse me, sir." He said as he left. Once he was gone, The Doctor scanned some of the equipment in front of them with his sonic screwdriver.

"You're letting people call you sir. You never do that. So, whatever a Weeping Angel is, it's really bad, yeah?"

"Now that's interesting. You're still here. Which part of wait in the Tardis till I tell you it's safe was so confusing?"

"Ooo, you are all Mister Grumpy Face today." Amelia said in the voice you use to speak to small children, making Rose laugh.

"A Weeping Angel, Amelia, is the deadliest, most powerful, most malevolent life form evolution has ever produced, and right now one of them is trapped inside that wreckage and I'm supposed to climb in after it with a screwdriver and a torch, and assuming I survive the radiation long enough and assuming the whole ship doesn't explode in my face, do something incredibly clever which I haven't actually thought of yet. That's my day. That's what I'm up to. Any questions?"

"Amelia, Please, go back to the Tardis." Rose asked softly, taking The girl's hand in her own. "This one is too dangerous. Please, for me?"

Amelia grumbled, before getting up, and heading back to the blue box.

"Thank you, Rose." The Doctor said. "I wish you'd go too."

"I know, but you very well know that's not going to happen."

"Father Octavian!" They heard River shouting.

"Why do they call him Father?" Rose asked.

"He's their Bishop, they're his Clerics. It's the fifty first Century. The Church has moved on."

"See?" Rose said, "You've still got stuff to teach me."

"Doctor! Rose!" River called. They went to join her in the drop ship.

"What do you think? It's from the security cameras in the Byzantium vault. I ripped it when I was on board. Sorry about the quality. It's four seconds. I've put it on loop." River said, showing them a screen with the image of a Weeping Angel turned away from the camera.

"Yeah, it's an Angel." The Doctor said, "Hands covering its face."

"You've encountered the Angels before." Octavian stated.

"Once, on Earth, a long time ago. But those were scavengers, barely surviving. Where did it come from?"

"Oh, pulled from the ruins of Razbahan, end of last century." River explained, "It's been in private hands ever since. Dormant all that time."

"There's a difference between dormant and patient."

The group left the drop ship and headed across the camp.

"The hyperdrive would've split on impact." The Doctor explained. "That whole ship's going to be flooded with drive burn radiation, cracked electrons, gravity storms. Deadly to almost any living thing."

"Deadly to an angel?" Octavian asked.

"Dinner to an Angel. The longer we leave it there, the stronger it will grow. Who built that temple? Are they still around?"

"The Aplans. Indigenous life form. They died out four hundred years ago." River said.

"Two hundred years later, the planet was terraformed. Currently there are six billion human colonists."

"Whoo! You lot, you're everywhere. You're like rabbits. I'll never get done saving you."

"Sir, if there is a clear and present danger to the local population-"

"There is," Rose said, "As bad as it gets. What are the chances of evacuation?"

"Of six billion? Not likely."

"Verger, how are we doing with those explosives?"

"You know me." Rose said. "You know me somehow, but I don't yet know you."

"Oh, I do. I know you quite well." River said, as she lightly caressed Rose's face with the back of her hand. She then dropped her hand grinned, and turned to walk away. Rose swallowed heavily, not able to understand what the woman was suggesting. They seemed close, but what about her relationship with The Doctor?

Suddenly there was a massive bang and a cloud of rock and sand filled the air. As it settled, they heard someone shout out.

"We're through."


	9. 05 09 - Time of the Angels Part 02

thanks to Maria EduardaB and Antisocial Me for their reviews. Where are you Luna Alli Rose? Haven't heard from you in a while.

Chapter 09 - Time of Angels Part 02

"Okay, now it starts." The Doctor said to himself. He took Rose's hand and led he to the gaping hole in the wall the priests blew with an explosive. One at a time they climbed down a rope ladder into the catacomb.

"Do we have a gravity globe?" The Doctor asked.

"Grav globe." Octavian ordered. One of the clerics handed it to him.

"So this is the maze of the dead." Rose wondered.

"Well, you can call it that, yeah, but if you happen to be a creature of living stone..." The Doctor said, before kicking the gravity globe into the air, which light up, illuminating hundreds of statuary. "I'd call this the perfect hiding place."

"I guess this makes it a bit trickier." Octavian muttered.

"Just a bit, yeah." Rose agreed.

"A stone Angel on the loose amongst stone statues. A lot harder than I'd prayed for." Octavian said.

"A needle in a haystack." River observed.

"A needle that looks like hay." The Doctor said, "A hay-like needle of death. A hay-alike needle of death in a haystack of, er, statues. No, yours was fine."

"Right. Check every single statue in this chamber." Octavian instructed his clerics. "You know what you're looking for. Complete visual inspection. One question. How do we fight it?" He asked the Doctor.

"We find it and hope."

"Prayer," Rose said, "I like that. Luckily, we have a contigent of priests with us."

"It's that or we run away screaming like little girls."

As they walked, River prepared a hypogun and injected herself.

"Wha's that?" Rose asked.

"It's a viro-stabiliser." River explained. "Stabilises your metabolism against radiation, drive burn, anything. We're going to need it when we get up to that ship."

Next she injected the Doctor, before putting away the injector.

"What about me?" Rose asked, "Don't I need that too?"

Since when have you had to worry about radiation?" River asked. Rose stared at her confused, until River made a face like she realised she made a mistake. "Oh, of course, give me your arm. Rose held out her arm, and got the shot.

They walked for a few more minutes, when the sound of gunfire echoed around them. The group all looked at one another, before turning and running back toward the entrance. There they found one of the clerics aiming his gun at a statue.

"Sorry, sorry. I thought. I thought it looked at me." The cleric said.

"We know what the Angel looks like. Is that the Angel?" Octavian asked.

"No sir." The cleric replied.

"No, sir, it is not." Octavian said, "According to the Doctor, we are facing an enemy of unknowable power and infinite evil, so it would be good, it would be very good, if we could all remain calm in the presence of décor."

"What's you're name?" The Doctor asked.

"Bob sir."

"Ah, that's a great name. I love Bob."

"It's a sacred name." Octavian explained, "We all have sacred names. They're given to us in the service of the church."

"Sacred Bob. More like Scared Bob now, eh." The Doctor grinned as he spoke.

"Yes, sir." Bob agreed.

"Ah, good. Scared keeps you fast." The Doctor said. "Anyone in this room who isn't scared is a moron. Carry on."

"We'll be moving into the maze in two minutes. You stay with Christian and Angelo. Guard the approach."

The group stepped out of the tunnel to see the catacombs towering above them multiple levels.

"The ship's not going to fall in here, is it?" Rose asked.

"Incredible builders, the Aplans." River said.

"Had dinner with their Chief Architect once." The Doctor mused. "Two heads are better than one."

"So you helped build this?" Rose asked.

"No, I mean he had two heads."

They walked and climbed quietly for a while, listening for anything moving, before Rose commented.

"This is one hell of a climb."

"The Maze is on six levels, representing the ascent of the soul." River explained, "Only two levels to go."

"Lovely species, the Aplans. We should visit them some time."

"Aren't they all dead?"

"So is Virginia Woolf. I'm on her bowling team. Very relaxed, sort of cheerful. Well, that's having two heads, of course. You're never short of a snog with an extra head."

"Doctor, there's something. I don't know what it is." River said.

"Yeah, there's something wrong." The Doctor observed. "Don't know what it is yet, either. Working on it. Of course, then they started having laws against self-marrying. I mean, what was that about? But that's the Church for you. Er, no offence, Bishop."

"Quite a lot taken, if that's all right, Doctor. Lowest point in the wreckage is only about fifty feet up from here. That way."

"Maybe the church had a point." Rose said, "I mean, could you imagine how messy those divorces would be, divorcing yourself?"

"Oh." The Doctor said.

"Uh oh" Rose realised.

"Oh." River repeated.

"Exactly." The Doctor warned.

"How could we have not noticed that?" River asked.

"Low level perception filter, or maybe we're thick."

"I'm leaning toward the latter." Rose said.

"What's wrong, sir?" Octavian asked.

"Nobody move." The Doctor ordered. "Nobody move. Everyone stay exactly where they are. Bishop, I am truly sorry. I've made a mistake and we are all in terrible danger."

"What danger." The bishop asked.

"The Aplans." The Doctor answered.

"The Aplans?" Octavian asked.

"They've got two heads." Rose replied.

"Yes, I get that, so?" Octavian demanded.

"So why don't the statues? Everyone, over there. Just move. Don't ask questions, don't speak."

They all followed The Doctor's instructions and moved into an alcove away from all the statues.

"Okay, I want you all to switch off your torches." The Doctor instructed.

"Sir?" Asked one of the soldiers.

"Just do it." One by one, all the torches were turned off, until the only one left was the one the doctor had. "Okay. I'm going to turn off this one too, just for a moment."

"Are you sure about this?" River asked.

"No." Then he flicked off the torch, just for an instant. In the moment of darkness, the statues all turned to face them.

"Oh we are in so much trouble." Rose muttered.

The Doctor moved farther down the tunnel, to see the statues have moved away from the walls and oved towards the group.

"They're Angels. All of them." The Doctor observed.

"But they can't be." River said.

"Clerics, keep watching them?" The Doctor shouted, as he moved farther down the tunnel. Everywhere he looked the statues we away from the walls, and facing the direction of the group. He ran to the main cavern to see statues everywhere had moved closer.

"Every statue in this Maze, every single one, is a Weeping Angel. They're coming after us."

"But there was only one Angel on the ship." River insisted, "Just the one, I swear."

"They must have been here already." Rose decided.

"The Aplans. What happened? How did they die out?" The Doctor asked.

"Nobody knows." Octavian answered.

"We know."

"They don't look like angels." Octavian observed.

"And these aren't fast. They should have had us by now." Rose thought aloud.

"Look at them." The Doctor said. "They're dying, losing their form. They must have been down here for centuries, starving."

"Loosing their form." Rose added.

"And their form is their power... power..." The clapped his hands suddenly, coming to a realisation. "Power!"

"I love this part." Rose whispered to River.

"Don't you see? All that radiation spilling out the drive burn. The crash of the Byzantium wasn't an accident, it was a rescue mission for the Angels. We're in the middle of an army, and it's waking up."

"We need to get out of here fast." River's voice quavered a bit.

"Bob, Angelo, Christian, come in, please." Octavian said into hhis radio. There was no response. "Any of you, come in."

"It's Bob, sir. Sorry, sir." Came a voice over the radio.

"Bob, are Angelo and Christian with you? All the statues are active. I repeat, all the statues are active." Octavian informed him.

"I know, sir." Bob said, "Angelo and Christian are dead, sir. The statues killed them, sir."

The Doctor snatched the radio out of Octavian's hand. "Bob, Sacred Bob, it's me, the Doctor."

"I'm talking to-" Octavian started, but The Doctor put up a finger, silencing the man.

"Where are you now?" He asked into the radio.

"I'm talking to my-" Octavian tried again.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, shut up." The Doctor said to Octavian before listening to Bob's reply.

"I'm on my way up to you, sir. I'm homing in on your signal." Bob said.

"Ah, well done, Bob. Scared keeps you fast. Told you, didn't I. Your friends, Bob. What did the Angel do to them?" The Doctor asked.

"Snapped their necks, sir." Bob replied.

"That's odd." The Doctor said, "That's not how the Angels kill you. They displace you in time. Unless they needed the bodies for something."

"Bob, did you check their data packs for vital signs?" Octavian asked, taking the radio back from The Doctor. "We may be able to initiate a rescue plan."

"Oh, don't be an idiot." The Doctor took the radio again, "The Angels don't leave you alive. Bob, keep running. But tell me, how did you escape?"

"I didn't escape, sir. The Angel killed me, too." Bob said.

"What do you mean, the Angel killed you too?" The Doctor asked.

"Snapped my neck, sir." Bob answered. "Wasn't as painless as I expected, but it was pretty quick, so that was something."

"If you're dead, how can I be talking to you?"

"You're not talking to me, sir." Bob said. "The Angel has no voice. It stripped my cerebral cortex from my body and re-animated a version of my consciousness to communicate with you. Sorry about the confusion."

"So when you say you're on your way up?"

"It's the angel that's coming sir, yes."

"Then we get out through the wreckage. Go! Go, go, go. All of you run." Octavian ordered.

Everyone started to run for the wreckage of the Byzantium Except for The Doctor and Octavian.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm coming." The Doctor said. "Just go. Go, go, go. Yeah. Called you an idiot. Sorry, but there's no way we could have rescued your men."

"I know that, sir. And when you've flown away in your little blue box, I'll explain that to their families." The doctor looked like he'd just been stabbed, as Octavian ran off to catch up with the group. The Doctor recovered from the blow, and used the radio to contact the angel.

"Angel Bob. Which Angel am I talking to? The one from the ship?"

"Yes, sir. And the other Angels are still restoring."

"Ah, so the Angel is not in the wreckage. Thank you."

And with that information, he ran to catch up with the rest of the group. He caught up with them as they stood under the access port of the ship.

"Well. There it is, the Byzantium."

"I'd call it beauty, but it's no Tardis." Rose commented.

"It's got to be thirty feet. How do we get up there?" River asked.

"Check all these exits. I want them all secure." Octavian ordered his men.

"If I know The Doctor, he's already got a way up," Rose answered River's question.

"All this time, and you still have faith in me." The Doctor observed, amazed. Rose grinned at him.

"The statues are advancing along all corridors. And, sir, my torch keeps flickering." Called the cleric named Marco.

"They all do," Octavian confirmed.

"So does the gravity globe." River noticed.

"Clerics, we're down to four men. Expect incoming." Octavian ordered.

"Yeah, it's the Angels." The Doctor informed them, "They're coming. And they're draining the power for themselves."

"Which means we won't be able to see them."Octavian said.

"Which means we can't stay here." The Doctor stated the obvious.

"Two more incoming!" Octavian called.

"Any suggestions?" River asked The Doctor, starting to sound a bit panicked.

"The statues are advancing on all sides. We don't have the climbing equipment to reach the Byzantium."

"There's no way up, no way back, no way out. No pressure, but this is usually when you have a really good idea."

"There's always a way out." The Doctor informed them.

"Then let's use it." Rose said.

"Doctor? Can I speak to the Doctor, please?" Came the voice of Angel-bob over the radio.

"Hello, Angels. What's your problem?" The Doctor asked.

"Your power will not last much longer, and the Angels will be with you shortly." Angel-bob said, "Sorry, sir."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"There's something the Angels are very keen you should know before the end."

"Which is?"

"I died in fear."

"I'm sorry?"

"You told me my fear would keep me alive. But I died afraid, in pain and alone. You made me trust you, and when it mattered, you let me down."

"Why are they trying to make him angry?" Rose whispered to River, "Don't they know what he's capable of?"

"Apparently not." River replied.

"I'm sorry, sir. The Angels were very keen for you to know that."

"Well then, the Angels have made their second mistake because I'm not going to let that pass. I'm sorry you're dead, Bob, but I swear to whatever is left of you, they will be sorrier."

"But you're trapped sir, and about to die."

"Yeah. I'm trapped. And you know what? Speaking of traps, this trap has got a great big mistake in it. A great big, whopping mistake."

"What mistake sir?"

The Doctor turned to Rose. "Trust me?"

"With my life." She replied.

"Trust me?" He asked River.

"Always."

He turned to Octavian. "Trust me?"

"Two more incoming!" Called Marco.

Octavian grinned. "We have faith, sir."

"Then give me your gun. I'm about to do something incredibly stupid and dangerous. When I do," The Doctor gave a little hop as demonstration, "jump!"

"Jump where?" Octavian asked.

"Just jump, high as you can. Come on, leap of faith, Bishop. On my signal."

"What signal?"

"You won't miss it."

"Sorry, can I ask again?" Angel Bob said, "You mentioned a mistake we made."

"Oh, big mistake. Huge. Didn't anyone every tell you there's one thing you never put in a trap? If you're smart, if you value your continued existence, if you have any plans about seeing tomorrow, there is one thing you never, ever put in a trap."

"And what would that be, sir?"

The Doctor aimed the gun skyward and pulled the Trigger.

"Me."


	10. 05 10 - Flesh and Stone

Chapter 10 – Flesh and Stone

"Up. Look up!" The Doctor called. Everyone struggled to their feet, after falling up, and landing on the Byzantium.

"Are you okay?" River asked Rose

She stood up, looking around. "I'm fine. We're on the Byzantium, aren't we?"

"One good jump, and up we fell. Shot out the grav globe to give us an updraught, and here we are." The Doctor explained, as he crouched next to a round hatch, circled by lights, and started working on it with his screwdriver.

"Doctor, the statues. They look more like Angels now." Octavian noted.

"They're feeding on the radiation from the wreckage, draining all the power from the ship, restoring themselves. Within an hour, they'll be an army."

The hatch opened with a swish, and the Doctor looked pleased, until suddenly one of the lights explode.

"They're taking out the lights. Look at them. Look at the Angels." He got the hatch opened, and sat one the edge, his legs dangling inside. "Into the ship, now. Quickly, all of you"

And with that, he dropped inside. Rose looked down, and he was standing in the corridor. He grinned at her.

"The gravity orientates to the floor. Now, in here, all of you. Don't take your eyes off the Angels. Move, move, move."

"Okay, men. Go, go, go!" Octavian ordered. "The Angels. Presumably they can jump up too?"

The Doctor worked a console that caused the hatch to shut. "They're here, now. In the dark, we're finished."

The hatch farther down closed swiftly.

"Run!" The Doctor called, but they didn't make it in time.

Octavian sighed heavily, "This whole place is a death trap."

"No, it's a time bomb. Well, it's a death trap and a time bomb. And now it's a dead end. Nobody panic. Oh, just me then. What's through here?" The Doctor asked.

"Secondary flight deck." River answered.

The Doctor worked at the door, while River worked on rewiring an access point.

"The security protocols are still live." The Doctor informed them, "There's no way to override them. It's impossible."

"How impossible?" River asked.

"Two minutes."

The outer hatch opened silently, and suddenly there was a stone arm in the open hatch.

"The hull is breached and the power's failing." Octavian observed.

The power flickered, then there were a number of Angel statues in the open door.

"Sir, incoming." The power kept flickering,and the angels were climbing further and further through the hatchway. "Clerics, keep watching them."

"Doctor, can you isolate the lights?" Rose asked.

The Doctor aimed his screwdriver at the wiring River was working on.

"I've isolated the lighting grid. They can't drain the power now."

"Good work, Doctor." Octavian complimented.

"Yes. Good, good, good. Good in many ways." The Doctor said, "Good you like it so far."

"So far?" Rose asked.

"Well, there's only one way to open this door. I guess I'll need to route all the power in this section through the door control."

"Good, fine, do it." Octavian said.

"Including the lights. All of them. I'll need to turn out the lights."

"How long for?"

"Fraction of a second. Maybe longer. Maybe quite a bit longer."

"Maybe?"

"I'm guessing. We're being attacked by statues in a crashed ship. There isn't a manual for this."

Rose put her hands on The Doctor's shoulders from behind him. "You can do this, Doctor."

"No other way. Bishop." The Doctor said, much calmer.

"Doctor Song, I've lost good Clerics today. You trust this man?" Octavian asked.

"I absolutely trust him." River answered.

"He's not some kind of madman, then?"

River paused for a moment, before responding. "I absolutely trust him."

"Excuse me." The Doctor said, before turning his back to work on the door, Rose joining him, with her own sonic out.

"Okay, Doctor. We've got your back."

"Bless you, Bishop."

"Combat distance, ten feet." Octavian instructed his men. "As soon as the lights go down, continuous fire. Full spread over the hostiles. Do not stop firing while the lights are out. Shot gun protocol. We don't have bullets to waste."

"Rose, when the lights go down, the wheel should release. Spin it clockwise four turns."

"Got it, four turns."

"Ready?" The Doctor called. He plunged his sonic screwdriver into a bundle of wires.

"On my count, then." Octavian said, "God be with us all. Three, two, one, fire!" On 'fire' the corridor was plunged into darkness. Rose immediately began turning the wheel, as the hall was illuminated in flashes by gunfire. Finally, after what seemed like aeons, the door opened part way.

"It's opening, it's working!" Rose cried out.

"Fall back!" The Doctor ordered.

One by one the soldiers backed through the door, The Doctor being the last one through. They ran down another corridor, and Rose soniced the door open, leading them to the secondary flight deck. The door shut behind them, but it's not long before the door wheel started spinning. Octavian placed a pad-like device on the door, and the wheel stopped.

"Magnetized the door. Nothing could turn that wheel now."

"Yeah?" The Doctor asked. The wheel turned one click. Then another. It started turning about one click every three seconds.

"Dear god." Octavian muttered.

"Ah, now you're getting it." The Doctor said, "You've bought us time though. That's good. I am good with time."

"Doctor!" Rose shouted, pointing at another door, which wheel started to turn.

"Seal that door. Seal it now." Octavian ordered.

"We're surrounded." River commented.

Next the wheel on the door to the left started turning.

"Seal it. Seal that door. Doctor, how long have we got?" Octavian asked.

"Five minutes Max."

"We need another way out of here." River said.

"There isn't one." Octavian insisted.

"Yeah, there is. Course there is. This is a galaxy class ship. Goes for years between planet falls. So, what do they need?" The Doctor asked, as if he was teaching a class.

"Oxygen." Rose answered.

"Of course." River said.

"Can we get in there?" Octavian asked.

"Well, it's a sealed unit, but they must have installed it somehow. This whole wall should slide up." He said pointing at the back wall of the bridge, before moving a crate. "There's clamps. Release the clamps."

He soniced two of the clamps, while Rose soniced the other two. With a whirring sound, the wall lifted up showing a forest.

"Haha..." Rose declared, ""It's a forest."

"It's an oxygen factory." River said.

"It's a forest," The Doctor agreed with Rose. "And if we're lucky, an escape route. Is there another exit? Scan the architecture, we don't have time to get lost in there."

"On it. Stay where you are until I've checked the Rad levels." Octavian instructed.

"Trees on a spaceship." Rose observed, "Can I just say, Doctor, I love travelling with you."

"Oh, more than trees." The Doctor said, "Way better than trees. You're going to love this. Treeborgs. Trees plus technology. Branches become cables become sensors on the hull. A forest sucking in starlight, breathing out air. It even rains. There's a whole mini-climate. This vault is an ecopod running right through the heart of the ship. A forest in a bottle on a space ship in a maze. Have I impressed you yet Rose Tyler?"

"Always."

"Doctor, there's an exit, far end of the ship, into the Primary Flight Deck." Octavian informed him.

"Oh, good. That's where we need to go."

"Plotting a safe path now." Octavian said.

"Quick as you like."

"Doctor? Excuse me? Hello, Doctor? An- Angel Bob here, sir." Came the voice over the radio.

"Ah. There you are, Angel Bob. How's life?" The Doctor asked. "Sorry, bad subject."

"The Angels are wondering what you hope to achieve."

"Achieve? We're not achieving anything." The Doctor said, "We're just hanging. It's nice in here. Consoles, comfy chairs, a forest. How's things with you?"

"The Angels are feasting, sir. Soon we will be able to absorb enough power to consume this vessel, this world. and all the stars and worlds beyond."

"Well, we've got comfy chairs. Did I mention?"

"We have no need of comfy chairs." Angel-bob said.

"I made him say 'comfy chairs'." The Doctor joked.

"We shall take all of you. We shall have dominion over all time and space." Angel-bob added threateningly.

"Get a life, Bob. Oops, sorry again. There's power on this ship, but nowhere near that much."

"With respect, sir, there's more power on this ship than you yet understand."

Suddenly the sound of screeching echoed around the ship.

"What's that? Dear God, what is it?" River asked.

"It's hard to put in your terms, Doctor Song, but as best I understand it, the Angels are laughing." Angel-bob answered.

"Laughing?" The Doctor asked.

"Because you haven't noticed yet, sir. The Doctor in the Tardis hasn't noticed."

"Doctor." Octavian called.

"No. Wait. There's something I've missed." The Doctor said.

The Doctor turned around and saw a crack above the bulkhead door. An eerily familiar crack in the vague shape of a 'W'.

"Doctor," Rose observed, "That looks just like the crack on Amelia's wall, when she was a little girl."

As they watched the crack grew wider.

"Yes."

"Okay, enough. We're moving out." Octavian ordered.

"Agreed. Doctor?" River called out.

"Yeah. Fine." He said, as he pushed a pallet of boxes over to the wall beneath the crack, and climbed on top of it.

"What are you doing?" Rose asked.

"Right with you." The Doctor began to scan the crack with his sonic.

"We're not leaving without you." Rose declared.

"Oh yes you are. Bishop?"

"Miss Tyler, Doctor Song. Now!" Octavian called.

"Doctor!" Rose cried.

"Come on." River said, pulling Rose away. She struggled, but River proved to be much stronger then she looked, and she pulled Rose into the forest.

Once they were a ways into the forest, River let go of Rose, who immediately started heading back the way they came. "I'm not leaving without him."

And with that, she jogged away, into the trees.

"Doctor Song, we can't go back. We've got to keep moving."

"We wait for the Doctor and Rose." River commented.

"Our mission is to make this wreckage safe and neutralise the Angels. Until that is achieved-" Octavian started.

"Father Octavian, when the Doctor and Rose Tyler are in the room, your one and only mission is to keep them alive long enough to get everyone else home. And trust me, it's not easy. Now, if they're dead back there, I'll never forgive myself. And if they are alive, I'll never forgive them. And, Doctor, Rose, you're standing right behind me, aren't you?

"Yeah." The Doctor said, appearing without his coat. Rose just giggled.

"I hate you."

"You don't. Bishop, the Angels are in the forest."

"We need visual contact on every line of approach."

"How did you get past them?"

"I found a crack in the wall and told them it was the end of the universe."

"What was it?" Rose asked.

"The end of the universe." The Doctor answered.

"Let's keep moving." Rose said.

As they walked, The Doctor input the readings from his sonic into the palm computer.

"What's that?" River asked.

"Er, readings from a crack in the wall." The Doctor replied.

"How can a crack in the wall be the end of the universe?"

"Don't know, but here's what I think. One day there's going to be a very big bang. So big every moment in history, past and future, will crack."

"Is that possible?" Rose asked.

"How?" River continued.

All of a sudden the computer pad in his hand beeps, and The Doctor looked down at it.

"What? What is that?" River asked.

"The date. The date of the explosion, where the crack begins."

"And for those of us who can't read the base code of the universe?"

"Amelia's time." The Doctor said.

The group moved along the forest, but it wasn't long before the Angel's made themselves known.

"Sir? Two more incoming." Called the cleric named Philip.

"Three more over here." Stated Pedro.

Suddenly, the lights started to flicker, and Rose noticed one of the angels, while covering it's face with one hand, had the other shoved deep into one of the trees.

"Doctor, the trees."

"They're ripping apart the treeborgs, taking out the lights. Keep an eye on the Angels, but um... run."

They ran through the trees, while keeping an eye out behind them, and soon came upon the primary flight deck.

"It doesn't open it from here, but it's the Primary Flight Deck." Octavian said, "This has got to be a service hatch or something."

"Hurry up and open it. Time's running out." River commented.

"What? What did you say? Time's running out, is that what you said?" The Doctor asked.

"Yeah, I just meant-" River started.

"I know what you meant. Hush." The Doctor interrupted, "But what if it could?"

"What is what could?" Rose asked.

"Time. What if time could run out?"

"Got it." Octavian declared, as the porthole opened.

"Cracks. Cracks in time." The Doctor contemplated, "Time running out. No, couldn't be. Couldn't be. But how is a duck pond a duck pond if there aren't any ducks? And she didn't recognise the Daleks. Okay, time can shift. Time can change. Time can be rewritten. Ah. Oh!"

"Doctor Song, Miss Tyler, get through, now." The two women immediately climbed through the porthole, followed by the soldiers, "Cleric's go. Doctor? Doctor."

"It's been happening all around me and I haven't even noticed."

"Doctor, we have to move." Octavian ordered.

"The CyberKing. A giant Cyberman walks over all of Victorian London and no one remembers."

"We have to move it. The Angels could be here any second."

"Never mind the Angels. There's worse here than Angels."

The lights flickered, and a sudden gasp drew The Doctor's attention. He spun to see An Angel with his arm around Octavian's neck.

"I beg to differ, sir." He said.

"Let him go!" The Doctor demanded.

"Well, it can't let me go, sir, can it?" Octavian pointed out. "Not while you're looking at it."

"I can't stop looking at it, it'll kill you."

"It's going to kill me anyway." Octavian said, "Think it through. There's no way out of this. You have to leave me."

"Can't you wiggle out?" The Doctor asked.

"No, it's too tight." Octavian answered, "You have to leave me, sir. There's nothing you can do."

"You're dead if I leave you."

"Yes. Yes, I'm dead. And before you go-"

"I'm not going." The Doctor demanded.

"Listen to me, it's important." Octavian said, "You can't trust her."

"Trust who?"

"River Song. You think you know her, but you don't. You don't understand who or what she is."

"Then tell me."

"Doctor Song's in my personal custody. I released her from the Stormcage Containment Facility four days ago and I was legally responsible for her until she's accomplished her mission and earned her pardon."

"She was in Stormcage? For what?"

"I've told you more than I should. Now please, you have to go. It's your duty to your friends."

"Just tell me. Why she was in Stormcage?"

"She killed a man." Octavian explained, "A good man. A hero to many."

"Who?" The Doctor asked.

"You don't want to know, sir." Was Octavian's non-answer. "You really don't."

"Who did she kill?"

"Sir, the Angels are coming. You have to leave me."

"You'll die."

"I will die in the knowledge that my courage did not desert me at the end. For that I thank God, and bless the path that takes you to safety."

"I wish I'd known you better." The Doctor said.

"I think, sir, you know me at my best." Octavian replied.

"Ready?"

Octavian nodded as best he could. "Content."

"Where's Octavian?" Asked one of the clerics when The Doctor got onto the main flight deck.

"Octavian's dead. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

A loud clanging sound distracted them all from their short period of mourning.

"What's that?" River asked.

"The Angels running from the fire." The Doctor explained. "They came here to feed on the Time Energy, now it's going to feed on them."

"That Time Energy, what's it going to do?" Rose wondered.

"Er, keep eating." The Doctor said.

"How do we stop it?" River asked.

"Feed it." The Doctor answered.

"Feed it what?"

"A big, complicated space time event should shut it up for a while."

"Like what, for instance?" River asked.

"Like me, for instance." The Doctor yelled back. Rose moved forward, taking his hand, trying to calm him.

An alarm distracts the two time travellers from their moment of peace.

"What's that?" Rose asked.

"The Angels are draining the last of the ship's power, which means the shield's going to release."

With a loud clang, and a whir, the wall between them and the forest rose, to show a line of Angel statues waiting for them, all covering their faces.

"Angel-bob, I presume."

"The Time Field is coming. It will destroy our reality."

"Yeah, and look at you all, running away." The Doctor said with a laugh in his voice, "What can I do for you?"

"There is a rupture in time." Explained Angel-bob, "The Angels calculate that if you throw yourself into it, it will close, and they will be saved."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Could do, could do that. But why?" The Doctor asked.

"Your friends will also be saved." Angel-bob answered.

"Well, there is that."

"I've travelled in time." River spoke up, "I'm a complicated space time event too. Throw me in."

"Oh, be serious. Compared to me, these Angels are more complicated than you, and it would take every one of them to amount to me, so get a grip."

"What about me?" Rose asked.

"Never going to happen," The Doctor answered, "Now seriously, get a grip."

"You're not going to die here!" River demanded.

"No, I mean it. River, Rose, get a grip."

Realization hit both women at the same moment. Rose grabbed onto a bit of railing with a wolfish grin on her face, as River grabbed onto her own bit of railing and spoke.

"Oh, you genius."

The soldier clerics followed suit, grabbing onto the railing nearest where ever they stood.

Angel-bob spoke up again. "Sir, the Angels need you to sacrifice yourself now."

"Thing is, Bob, the Angels are draining all the power from this ship. Every last bit of it. And you know what? I think they've forgotten where they're standing. I think they've forgotten the gravity of the situation. Or to put it another way, Angels."

A monitor behind them beeps while flashing the words 'gravity failing'.

"Nighty night."

The artificial gravity finally failed, and the angels plummeted into the glowing rift, sealing it with a flash.

Once the Angels fell into the rift, they no longer ever existed. Moments after vanishing, gravity on the ship returned to normal, and the three time travellers and the four clerics strolled out through the main gangway of the ship. Soon the clerics were cleaning up the camp, and River, Rose, and The Doctor were back by the Tardis.

"So," Rose said, "The crack is gone."

"Yeah, for now. But the explosion that caused it is still happening. Somewhere out there, somewhere in time."

River looked down at her hands which are restrained by a set of manacles, placed on her by the clerics.

"You, me, Rose, and handcuffs. Must it always end this way?"

River's high tech handcuffs beeped, drawing their attention to them.

"What now?" The Doctor asked.

"The prison ship's in orbit. They'll beam me up any second. I might have done enough to earn a pardon this time. We'll see."

"Octavian said you killed a man." The Doctor said, causing Rose to gasp in shock.

"Yes I did." River said, nonchalantly.

"A good man.

"A very good man. The best man I've ever known."

"Who?"

"It's a long story. Doctor. It can't be told, it has to be lived. No sneak previews. Well, except for this one. You'll see me again quite soon, when the Pandorica opens."

"The Pandorica. Ha! That's a fairy tale."

"Aren't we all? I'll see you both there."

"I look forward to it."

"As do I." Rose said.

"I remember it well." River commented.

"Can we trust you, River Song?" The Doctor asked.

"If you like." Rive replied. "Ha, but where's the fun in that?"

A twister of sand picked up around River, hiding her from view, and when it settled, she was gone.

"What are you thinking?" Rose asked, wondering about his pensive face.

"Time can be rewritten."

Upon returning to the Tardis, The Doctor and Rose were confronted by Amelia.

"I want to go home."

"Okay." The Doctor said, looking sad.

"No, not like that. I just, I just want to show you something. You're running from River. I'm running too."

After landing the Tardis, Rose and The Doctor exited following Amelia only to have her point out a wedding gown hanging from her wardrobe door.

"Well." The Doctor said.

"Blimey." Rose followed.

"Yeah."

"Blimey." The Doctor said.

"I already said that." Rose commented.

"I know. This is the same night we left, yeah?" Amelia asked.

"We've been gone five minutes." Rose told her.

She picked up a small grey ring box, opening it to show them.

"I'm getting married in the morning."

"Why did you leave it here?" The Doctor asked.

"Why did I leave my engagement ring when I ran away with a strange man the night before my wedding?"

"Hmm. You really are an alien, aren't you?" Amelia snorted.

"Who's the lucky fellow?" The Doctor questioned.

"His name's Rory Williams. I had some time to think while waiting in the Tardis, and I don't think I can go running off without at least telling him."

"Right, off we are then, to find Rory Williams."


	11. 05 11 - Vampires of Venice Part 01

AN: I have found that rewriting cannon makes me use a lot of cannon, and I don't know how else to do it Sorry.

Never knew it would be so difficult.

Chapter 11 – The Vampires of Venice Part 01

Amelia and Rose stood in the open doors of the Tardis, and watched as The Doctor used his never ending gob and a flash of the psych paper to get himself into a giant cake in place of the stripper.

"How he manages that, I'll never know." Rose said.

"Is he really going to jump out of a cake?" Amelia asked.

"He thinks it's clever." Rose answered. "I couldn't stop him."

"Want to go watch?"

"And watch The Doctor embarrass himself? Absolutely. Here." Rose said, handing Amelia a hooded jumper, that appeared on The Tardis' railing. "Cover your hair, so we don't stand out."

Once covered up, the two girls left the Tardis, which was parked behind the pub, and snuck inside. Immediately they noticed all the men in the bar wearing red shirts, that said 'Rory's Stag' on the back, and had a heart with a photo of Rory and Amelia on the front.

"That's him." Amelia pointed out.

From where they stood, they could just make out Rory's voice over the din, as he spoke into a mobile.

"Hey! It's me. Hello. How are you? The reason for this call is because I haven't told you for seven hours that I love you, which is a scandal, and even if we weren't getting married tomorrow, I'd ask you to marry me anyway. Yes, I would, because you are smashing."

"He seems sweet." Rose observed.

The kitchen doors opened, and in rolled a giant cake, that the two girls knew contained The Doctor.

"Oh. Oh. Oh, blimey." Rory said, "I've... I've, er got to go. I'll see you tomorrow."

On queue, The Doctor popped out of the cake like a spring loaded jack-in-the-box.

"Rory! That's a relief. I thought I'd burst out of the wrong cake, again. That reminds me, there's a girl standing outside in a bikini. Could someone let her in and give her a jumper? Lucy? Lovely girl. Diabetic. Now then, Rory. We need to talk about your fiancée."

Rory smiled embarrassingly, thinking this was all part of the show. "She ran away with me last night."

Rose swore that she could hear crickets in the silence. The Doctor climbed out of the cake, straightening his tie.

"It's important that you come with us."

The Doctor grabbed Rory's hand, and dragged him away before anyone could stop him. As soon as they were outside the pub, Amelia followed, and pulled the hood off, taking Rory's hand.

"Amy! What are you doing here?"

"Amy?" The Doctor asked, "You were Amelia a minute ago."

"Yeah, and sometimes I'm Amy." she said.

"But Amelia's a lovely name." The doctor pointed out.

Amy had no rebuttal, as she didn't want to say that she kind of liked it when The Doctor and Rose called her Amelia.

"Anyway," The Doctor said, "I'm The Doctor, and this is Rose."

"He's... He's the raggedy doctor." Rory said to Amy.

"Yes."

"But he was a story. He was a game. How is he real? He was never real. You made me dress up like him, and we played The Raggedy Doctor and Rose defeat prisoner zero. Oh my god, is there a prisoner zero, too?"

"There was." Rose interjected. "But we beat him."

"Now, everyone into The Tardis."

Upon entering, Rory froze by the door, where Amy and Rose waited by him to be okay. The Doctor, meanwhile, went below the Tardis deck and started repairs.

"Oh, the life out there, it dazzles. I mean, it blinds you to the things that are important. I've seen it devour relationships and plans. It's meant to do that. Because for one person to have seen all that, to taste the glory and then go back, it will tear you apart. So, I'm sending you somewhere, together. "

Amelia looked stunned, "Woah, what like a date?"

"Anywhere you want. Any time you want. One condition. It has to be amazing. The Moulin Rouge in 1890. The first Olympic Games. Think of it as a wedding present, because it's either this or tokens." The Doctor turned to Rory, who still looked quite stunned. "It's a lot to take in, isn't it? Tiny box, huge room inside. What's that about? Let me explain."

"It's another dimension." Rory said.

"It's basically another dimension. What?"

"How do you know that?" Rose asked.

"Growing up on stories of the time travelling doctor, I've an interest in science. Read up on all the latest scientific theories. FTL travel, parallel universes."

"Parallel universes are real," Rose spoke up, "I was trapped in one for seventy years."

"I like the bit when someone says it's bigger on the inside. I always look forward to that."

Amy took Rory's hand, "So, this date. What do you think, Rory?"

"Gotta be somewhere romantic." Rose said.

The Doctor adjusted the coordinate setting on the Tardis, then pointed it out to Rose. She looked at it and commented.

"Oh, that'll do nicely."

Moments later, the Tardis landed with a thump, and The Doctor ran to the doors, towing Rose with him, and threw them open. Amy and Rory followed them out.

"Venice!" The Doctor cried. "Venezia. La Serenissima. Impossible city. Preposterous city. Founded by refugees running from Attila the Hun. It was just a collection of little wooden huts in the middle of the marsh, but became one of the most powerful cities in the world. Constantly being invaded, constantly flooding, constantly just beautiful. Ah, you got to love Venice. So many people did. Byron, Napoleon, Casanova. Ooo, that reminds me." He checked his watch, "1580. That's all right. Casanova doesn't get born for a hundred and forty five years. Don't want to run into him. I owe him a chicken."

Rose giggled, "You would lose a bet to Casanova."

"You owe Casanova a chicken?" Rory asked.

"It's a long story." The Doctor replied.

They were stopped by an official looking man who looked quite excitable. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Papers, if you please. Proof of residency, current bill of medical inspection."

The Doctor held out the psychic paper for the man. "There you go, fellow. All to your satisfaction, I think you'll find."

The man bowed before The Doctor, "I am so sorry, Your Holiness. I didn't realise."

"No worries." The Doctor said, "You were just doing your job. Sorry, what exactly is your job?"

"Checking for aliens. Visitors from foreign lands what might bring the plague with them."

"Oh, that's nice." Amelia cried, "See where you bring me? The plague."

"Don't worry, Viscountess. No, we're under quarantine here. No one comes in, no one goes out, and all because of the grace and wisdom of our patron, Signora Rosanna Calvierri."

"How interesting." The Doctor drawled, "I heard the plague died out years ago.

"Not out there. No, Signora Calvierri has seen it with her own eyes. Streets are piled high with bodies, she said."

"Did she now?"

"Trouble?" Rose asked, grinning.

"Could be." The Doctor replied, moving ahead, and towing Rose with him.

Rory took the psychic paper, to see what it was. "Er, according to this, I am your eunuch."

Amy turned to Rory, "Oh yeah. I'll explain later."

"Doctor!" Rose smacked his arm, "Not another Mickey."

He just grinned at her as they walked. They stopped amongst a crowd that was watching something across the river. They heard some whisper 'The Calvierri girls', and knew this was a place of interest. They watched as a man came out of the shadows calling for 'Isabella', pulling up the veils the girls were wearing, until he found her, then one of the girls immediately knocked him down. The man got carried away by a pair of guards, and The Doctor pulled Rose. They were off running, catching up to the man.

"Who are those girls?"

"I thought everyone knew about the Calvierri school." The man said.

"Our first day here." The Doctor commented, "It's okay. Parents do all sorts of things to get their children into good schools. They move house, they change religion. So why are you trying to get her out?"

The man sighed, "Something happens in there. Something magical, something evil. My own daughter didn't recognise me. And the girl who pushed me away, her face, like an animal."

I think it's time I met this Signora Calvierri." The doctor looked to the man who introduced himself as Guido. "Can you help us? Create a distraction?"

Guido ran to the gates, screaming for his daughter, and distracting the guards, while Rose and The Doctor snuck in through the side gate. They moved through the building, and down a staircase into a finely decorated room. The Doctor noticed a gilded mirror on the wall, and checked out his own reflection.

"Hello, handsome." He moved closer to the mirror to adjust his tie and check out his teeth, leaving it to Rose to notice the girls entering the room.

"Doctor." She warned.

"Who are you?" The five girls asked in unison.

The Doctor looked back an forth between the mirror an the girls. Rose looked at the mirror trying to see what he did, and noticed they didn't have a reflection.

"How are you doing that? I am loving it. You're like Houdini, only five slightly scary girls, and he was shorter. Will be shorter."

"You're rambling, Doctor." Rose pointed out.

"I'll ask you again, signor. Who are you?" The girls asked in tandem.

"Why don't you check this out?" The Doctor said, whipping out what was supposed to be his psychic paper. When they didn't respond, he flipped it around to look at it. "Library card. Of course, it's with." He mimed a long nose, referencing Rory.

"Doctor!" Rose cried, on Rory's behalf.

"I need a spare." He turned his attention to the six girls.  
"Pale, creepy girls who don't like sunlight and can't be seen. Ha. Am I thinking what I think I'm thinking? But the city. Why shut down the city? Unless?"

"Leave now, signor," The girls said in unison, "Signorina, or we shall call for the Steward, if you are lucky."

The girls bared pointed teeth and began to hiss at them.

"I think it's time to run, Doctor." Rose said.

They backed towards the door, when The Doctor spoke again. "Tell me the whole plan."

The girls just continued to hiss at them as they approached.

"One day that will work. Listen, I would love to stay here. This whole thing. I'm thrilled. Oh, this is Christmas."

He grabbed Rose's hand and together they ran up the stairs, and out of the school. They ran along the causeway, until they ran into Amy.

"Doctor! Rose!" Amy cried.

"We just met some vampires!" The Doctor declared.

At the same time, Amy spoke. "We just met a vampire."

The two spoke over one another, for a moment, before Rory caught up. "We think we just saw a vampire."

"Yeah, Amy was just telling me." The Doctor replied.

"I hope they're vampires." Rose said.

"Why would you hope they're vampires?" Rory asked.

"Vampires are easy, a cross, a wooden stake."

"Makes you wonder what could be so bad it doesn't actually mind us thinking it's a vampire." The Doctor said. "First we need to get back in there somehow."

"What?" Rory asked.

"How are we going to do that?" Amy asked.

"Psychic paper?" Rose offered.

"Too direct." The Doctor replied.

Rory interrupted The Doctor and Rose, "Back in where?"

"Come and meet our new friend."

The four time travellers went to the home of Guido who, after introductions, quickly pulled out a vellum map of Venice.

"As you saw, there's no clear way in. The House of Calvierri is like a fortress. But there's a tunnel underneath it, with a ladder and shaft that leads up into the house. I tried to get in once myself, but I hit a trapdoor."

Amy grinned and spoke up. "You need someone on the inside."

"No." The Doctor and Rose said in unison.

"You don't even know what I was going to say."

"Er, that we pretend you're an applicant for the school to get you inside," The Doctor said, "and tonight you come down and open the trapdoor to let us in."

"Oh, so you do know what I was going to say."

"Are you insane?" Rory asked.

"We don't have another option."

"Sure we do." Rose spoke up, "I go in."


End file.
